For my first assignment in writing for The Odyssey, my sister gave me the great idea of writing a list of things that successful college students do. (Thanks sis!) Now, I'm just a lowly freshman, and I honestly have no idea what it means to be a successful college student yet. The irony of me writing this list is not lost on me, but here is the list anyway, given by my wise peers and friends, some of whom already have their lives together and are enjoying success in college:
- They wake up before 9 A.M. on weekdays.
Waking up early and consistently doing so is the key to productivity. Let’s say you have class at 11 A.M and usually allow yourself to sleep until 10:30 A.M., giving yourself 30 minutes to get yourself to class. Between 9 and 10:30, you could have studied, exercised, or planned your day/week which leads us to the next point: - Successful college students own a planner and actually use it.
Your basic planner can be purchased at Target or Walmart, and you can even get all fancy and buy a Lilly Pulitzer planner. As long as it has a calendar and a section which allows you to write what you need to do that day, you're good. A great way to differentiate which classes are which is to invest in a good set of colored pens! - They read the class syllabus and particularly the breakdown of what will be graded and when.
Students will often look at the syllabus once and that's it. They might use once in a while as a pizza plate or a door stop. In fact, it's a crucial tool for knowing important due dates, what work will be graded, and what weight each piece of work carries. Use that handy planner that you bought and write those important due dates in your planner, so you'll have no excuses for not knowing a paper or exam due date -- especially when you are at the bar on a Thursday night and you'll have peace of mind knowing nothing important is due the next day! Woo-hoo! - They know when it's time to have fun and when it’s time to study. This one may seem like an obvious point that our parents have already lectured us on. Everything is okay in moderation, including your social time. For example, going out on Thursday night is cool if you don't have class on Fridays. But if that’s not you, then study during the week and party Friday and/or Saturday night. The point is, make sure to have a balance between study time and social time.
- They use their school’s tutoring center.
This is something that so many students overlook because they just don't want to give it a chance or don't think they need any help. It's free or should I say, included in your tuition, and you should definitely take advantage of it. Your grades will improve, I promise you.
Waking up early and consistently doing so is the key to productivity. Let’s say you have class at 11 A.M and usually allow yourself to 
This is something that so many students overlook because they just don't want to give it a chance or don't think they need any help. It's free or should I say, included in your tuition, and you should definitely take advantage of it. Your grades will improve, I promise you.It’s okay if you don't find yourself doing these 5 things in college because as long as you try your best, you're pretty much already a successful student.
