Every college student's secret (or not so secret) desire is to do well academically. Look, I don't care how bada** you try to make yourself seem by not going to class and laughing off the C on your last exam; you know you'd like to see yourself get the GPA of your dreams. Ask most over-achieving college students for advice on how they get the grades they get and you'll likely be surprised at the lies they've been telling you. Have you fallen for any of these?
1. Coffee is their best friend.
No, it's not; SLEEP is. Anyone who knows me knows that I basically dream about iced lattes, but I can dream because I actually sleep. Never substitute coffee for actual sleep. Just because it feels like your classmates are pulling all-nighters, cup in hand, doesn't mean you should do it too. Running on actual sleep is way better than running on three ventis.
2. They're ALWAYS studying.
False again. Successful students have their share of rest and relaxation, too. If you aren't balancing your books with some fun with friends, you're doing college all wrong. No matter how studious someone seems, they need some time away from endless lecture slides and textbooks with tiny print. It actually isn't all schoolwork all the time.
3. They 'just remember everything.'
Some people have terrific memory and some people (like me) can't even remember what they had for breakfast that morning. Some people may actually be able to remember every word of the professor's homework assignment without having to write it down, but more often than not, they put their planners to use and jot down what needs to get done. They may not be crazy obsessed with to-do lists, but they still leave reminders for themselves.
4. They ONLY glanced at their notes right before the quiz.
And they got a 95. But they probably didn't tell you that they pay close attention in class when taking notes and stay engaged so that they retain the information better. Probably because telling someone that you only glanced at a page in your notebook and got a good grade sounds more impressive than saying that your note-taking method has really been paying off.
5. They bought all of their textbooks.
Haha, good one! We've all thought at one point or another that we'd actually use every single textbook that was listed for our classes. Oh, the things we're wrong about. Successful students love saving money, too, so if a textbook is most likely going to be useless for a class, they won't buy it 'just in case.'
6. They always sit up front in class.
While sitting up front in lecture does make it more likely that you'll actually pay attention because you're literally right in front of the professor's face, the truth is that it depends on if you trust yourself to sit anywhere else and still stay focused.
7. They don't have time for breakfast.
Because they're always studying... Maybe they don't have time to eat breakfast in their rooms, but if they plan ahead then they pack a snack to eat during class so they aren't totally hungry the whole time. Then after class if there's a break in their schedule, they might go and have something heavier at the dining hall. Don't underestimate the power of food. Even something as small as a banana and a pack of crackers can help you be more alert than an empty stomach can.
8. They picked a major they actually love.
Actually, this one is NOT a lie! If you want to succeed academically, one of the easiest things you can do for yourself is to pick a major that you'd actually enjoy rather than picking the ones that you don't understand. Some people are good at math and science, and some people are good at the arts. Picking a certain major because of its prestige on your campus (and not because you actually like it and are good at it) will only make you miserable!
