College is the perfect place for young adults to learn more about themselves and what they are interested in, how to manage their time well, how to take care of themselves and how to get along with people from all different backgrounds. However, there are a few essential things every student needs to do in order to pass college classes and make his or her time there ultimately successful by graduation.
1. Don’t skip class.
We all know how difficult it can be to force yourself out of bed and into a classroom, but a perfect attendance automatically grants you at least a C-, even if you participate less than the average student and don’t do so well on your assessments. Attendance shows dedication and persistence; if your professor notices this, he/she will not let you fail (unless he/she is crazy, which is quite common).
2. Speak up.
Professors love students who ask “stupid questions" (or smart questions—any kind of questions, really) because giving answers is their job, and despite the looks of annoyance you might get from your classmates, there’s a reason why adults say, “There are no stupid questions!” Participation is also a major factor that will automatically give you a passing grade. And chances are, if you participate, you won’t fail the assessments, either.
3. Go to bed early.
A wise man (one of the wisest) once said, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” In my experience, despite how often I try to convince myself that I can go to bed at 1 a.m. and wake up five hours later and still feel fine, it never gets any easier. If you train your body to go to bed and wake up around the same times every day and get at least eight hours of sleep every night, I promise you will see improvement in your productivity, attention span, energy levels, appetite, mood and most importantly, your skin. Plus, getting up before the rest of the world gives you peace, quiet and time to prepare yourself for the day ahead. Watch the sunrise, drink two cups of tea, read the news, get your face printed on a hundred dollar bill.
4. Meet with your professors.
Professors absolutely love meetings. They want to teach you things you don’t know! They want you to comment on the pictures of their families seated neatly on their shelves and desktops! They want you to ask them about other random things, too, like what their favorite movies and local restaurants are! If you meet with your professors, you will do just fine.
5. Get a job.
Do something in customer service, help tutor young kids (or even old kids), work behind a desk with a bunch of old ladies, help wash dishes and clean tables in the dining hall. This will not only teach you about time management, simple life and organization skills, but also how to get along with people of all different ages, genders, learning paces and skill sets, and build your resume. An added bonus is that you will also make money. People often argue that money can’t buy happiness, but then they leave out the part that explains what money can buy, like an education, and books for that education, but those two points are obvious. Money can also buy other less obvious things that people don’t think about, like an endless supply of toilet paper ready for use in the bathroom, fresh produce, nice perfume that doesn’t smell like a 14-year-old girl threw up 16 ounces of cotton candy, red-rimmed Ralph Lauren glasses for people who can’t see, art supplies, a cup of coffee every morning for people who get up early to earn money and cable. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anybody complain about having cable or too much toilet paper.
6. Don’t party every weekend. Unless you're this guy:
Another wise man once said, “Don’t have sex, because you will get pregnant and die.” In other words, don’t do anything that will jeopardize your college career. Nobody ever failed a class because they spent too many nights in. Remember how hard you worked to get to where you are today. Try to imagine what your parents’ empty pockets must feel like. They’ve switched to store-brand coffee for you. Don’t ruin it. And don’t forget to call your mother.
7. Stay healthy
Keep your hands away from your face. Don’t share drinks with other people (a cold will not feel good with a hangover). Get plenty of rest. Take a daily multivitamin or vitamin D. Have a balanced diet and remember carbs are your friend! Getting sick will not only make you feel miserable when fun things are bound to be happening around you at school, but sickness will also tempt you to miss class. Refer to point No. 1.
8. Don’t focus on relationships.
And I don’t just mean romantic relationships. Remember what your priorities are. If you start to set your focus on what you like to do/study/get involved in, you will meet people with similar interests along the way. If you learn to love and take care of yourself before anything else (especially at this age), everything else will fall naturally into place. Don’t worry. That said:
9. Think before you post.
Don’t post or text something you’ll regret when you wake up and check your phone on Sunday morning. People are merciless.
10. Take time for yourself.
You know that wise man I was talking about before? Not the sex-ed teacher from "Mean Girls," but the other guy? Anyway, he also said, “A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.” In other words, use your free time slots for classes, homework and sports. Your free time should not be used solely for binge-watching "Grey’s Anatomy" and feeling sorry for yourself because you don’t have as much free time as you used to. Use this time to fill yourself with as much knowledge and creativity as you can outside of school. Be your own teacher. Find what interests you, whether it is drugs, sex, the fashion industry or football, read a book about it. Paint a picture of it. Write a poem about it. You don’t have to show anybody unless you want to. Use creativity to grow into the person you want to be.