College, it's the best of times...and it's the worst of times. Nobody makes it through their four year without making a few mistakes.
1. Going out the night before an early exam.
"The professor didn’t make tomorrow’s quiz sound like it was THAT important anyway."
Despite what your friends may tell you, you cannot 4.0 your economics class if you show up hungover to your exams.
2. Giving a presentation without practicing the night before.
"I'm outgoing, and I've given like a million presentations. Plus, I've got my index cards to remind me of my main points."
You may not think anyone noticed that your eyes were glued to your index cards and your body was glued to one spot on the floor, but they did. They definitely did.
3. Registering for an early lecture.
"Trust me you guys, it's going to be great! I'm going to get out of class early and have the whole afternoon to study and maybe even go to the gym!"
It doesn't matter how much of a morning person you are, 7 a.m. lectures are always a mistake; no amount of coffee can save you now. Oh, and P.S., you will never actually make it to the gym.
4. Overloading a class schedule with difficult classes.
"I can totally handle honors computer science, astrophysics, and early works of Shakespeare. I took all AP classes in high school and I was just fine."
Yeah, we all know you were a genius in high school. Newsflash: Everyone else at your university was probably a genius in high school as well. College isn't high school, don't overwhelm yourself.
5. Bringing every textbook to class on the first day.
"The syllabus says we won't be covering the material in this book until week eight, but I better bring it just to be safe."
It's OK to let your nerd flag fly, but not if it's going to cause you severe and unnecessary back pain. Leave the books you don't need at home, you'll thank yourself later.
6. Bringing messy/smelly snacks to class.
"I don't have time to stop for lunch. I should be fine if I just bring my leftovers from last night to class."
College desks are not even big enough for a notebook and a pencil, there is simply no room for last night's lasagna. Do you and your classmates a favor and stick to bringing easy snacks.
7. Forgetting to bring school supplies.
"Hey, can I borrow a pencil...and a piece of paper? Oh, and can we share your calculator, just for today, I promise."
In college, people are going to expect that you have enough of your life together to realize that you're going to need a pen and a notebook. You can only get away with borrowing supplies from your classmates once. Don't be a freeloader.
8. Picking a major on the first day.
"What's your major?"
"I'm pre-med"
It's fine if you're still holding on to your kindergarten dream of being a doctor, but make sure you give other majors/classes a chance. You'll never know if you'll like another subject unless you try it. College is the perfect time to try new classes you may be interested in.
9. Refusing to ask for help.
"Study group? No thanks, I've totally got this. I think I may even still have my high school notes that I can look at."
Office hours and study groups may seem like burdens on your social calendar, and your professors may seem terrifying, but you'll soon realize they're necessities if you want to get good grades. Put down the Solo cup, pick up a book, and go ask for help.
10. Giving up after one bad grade.
"Mom?! I think my professor hates me! He gave me a D on my first paper! I've never gotten a D! Maybe I'm not ready for college."
It doesn't matter how smart you are, getting a bad grade in college is bound to happen to everyone at some point. Do not, under any circumstances, give up. The option to run away from school may be tempting, but if you study hard and learn from your mistakes, you will eventually be rewarded with your first college A!
