Welcome to Things You Learn The Hard Way 101! College by any means is not easy unless a student is well prepared for the college experience beforehand. As an alumni from a college preparatory boarding school, I learned quite a few things the hard way. As a person who has experienced a few of these hardships, I want to share some of my pre-college experience with as many people as possible. Here are fifteen tips for being successful in college and what a student should follow to avoid learning “The Hard Way”.
1. Do Not Procrastinate!
Procrastination is honestly one of the worst things you can do in college. "Yeah that paper due Friday, oh I can type that paper in an hour tops…it will be easy" - famous last words of the student pulling an all-nighter typing said paper on Thursday. A paper, project, or any test is not that simple to do the night before. Procrastinating causes high levels of stress and sometimes sleep deprivation. Best word of advice given to me was to never procrastinate, because I can assure you last minute projects are not fun.
2. Plagiarizing Is A Crime.
"I only used one essay as a resource and I put everything in my own words." You may have put everything in your own words, but the thought was not your original idea. Give credit to your sources and make your own ideas. Teachers cannot stress enough how bad plagiarizing can be and the consequences behind it. Everyone wants to be in college for a reason and I am sure that no one wants to fail or be expelled from college for submitting someone else’s work. Depending on the severity, the consequences are pretty rough.
3. The Library Will Be Your Best Friend.
"My teacher wrote on my paper that I need primary sources, but I used five different websites." Yeah sure, websites have good information; however, those are secondary sources. The library literally is your best friend when it comes to papers. Teachers love primary resources because they are not iffy on credibility like some websites are. Always use the library for papers and a couple of online resources as a backup.
4. Get To Know Your Teachers.
"I’m not sure if I understand the lesson today, but I don’t want to ask the teacher for extra help." Teachers love to see that you are interested in their class and want to know a little extra. They became a teacher for a reason- to share their knowledge. Never be afraid to ask questions about the subject. As a matter of fact, the teacher may share even more knowledge with you and you may possibly get a really cool story out of it about their research and experiences.
5. Go To Class!
"Wait, what!? Were we not just on chapter 6 the other day and now we are on 7? How much did I miss?" Yeah…course materials get moved through pretty quickly depending on the class and teacher. Missing one day could mean you catching up all semester. It does not hurt to attend class every day.
6. Make Study Groups.
"Oh I study better in groups, that’s why I cannot pass my exams." Do not make excuses, there are plenty of students in your class that would probably love to study in a group. Study groups are the best way to study just in case someone does not know a certain part of the material as well as another student. Definitely effective and recommended.
7. Be Organized.
"Uh-oh where did I place my homework? I swear I did it, ugh now I have to redo everything." A little piece of advice, keep everything organized and in a certain place. If possible, make a detailed binder for each class to keep up with all handouts, notes, homework, and graded papers. Organization saves you from stress and helps you in the long run when studying for midterms and finals.
8. Be Clean And Healthy.
"Oh no! I can’t miss class tomorrow, I have a major test but I feel so sick." Oh the pain of having this situation. A good piece of advice, is to always wash your hands, take vitamins when certain seasons come around like flu season, and exercise every day. You will not only be healthier, but feel healthier. Missing class due to an illness is not fun coming from a person who gets sick often. Playing catch up in class after recovery is tough. Just be as clean and healthy as possible.
9. Always Be Aware Of Your Surroundings.
"Ummmm where is my English class again? Where am I even at on Campus?" No one likes to be lost during the first week of school. Before classes start, make sure you know what building every class is in and know where the important places are on campus are, like the health center. Also, know the town campus is located just in case you need to go on an emergency run to get any personal care products. If possible, have a local show you around!
10. Be Open Minded.
One of the biggest things is to be open minded. People are not to be judged based on appearance or rumors. Be accepting of who people are and not how they are identified by others. Everyone has a different story and you never know what someone is going through. Be kind to everyone you meet, you never know who they will be in the future. Your words and actions towards people can go a long way and a person never forgets what you have done for them.
11. Time Management.
"That project meeting was an hour ago? I am so sorry I missed it, I was tied up doing something else." To avoid missing meetings and making time for everything you desire to do in college, keep a planner or put reminders for the events in your phone. Time management is one of the hardest things for college students and a balance has to be found. Set aside certain hours of the day for studying, homework, eating, sleeping, going to class, and extracurricular activities. Trust me, it is possible to do all of those things but difficult if you do not manage your time wisely. A side note, sometimes we just have to sacrifice that event for an extra hour or so for studying. It happens to all of us.
12. Be Involved.
"I wish I would have joined a club, I have nothing to do this weekend and most of the clubs are doing fun projects." Trust me, you are going to regret not being involved on campus. I advise joining at least one club and going to a few campus events. You never know who you are going to meet!
13. Don't Overfill Your Plate.
What I mean by this is to not join so many clubs that you are overwhelmed. Sure, several clubs look awesome to you, but some have the same meeting dates and times and we are all pretty sure there is only one of you. In other words, start off with no more than three clubs and get used to being in college courses first, then you can decide to join more. I advise joining no more than five clubs at a time your entire college career.
14. Sleep, Sleep, Sleep!
Granted this should be under the time management tip, but honestly sleep needs its own spot. Sleep is super important and everyone needs it to function. Lack of sleep causes people to lose focus in class, fall asleep in class, and slows down your reaction time. Always save time to sleep, just do your work when assigned or 2-3 days before it is due.
15. Be Yourself.
As cliché as this last one is, it is the most important tip. Be true to who you are and never act different for other people to like you. No one should have to act differently to be accepted. You should be accepted for who you are not what other people want you to be!
In all, college is fun and should be experienced in the best way possible. I hope these fifteen tips help you throughout your college experience and maybe just maybe you will not have to learn “The Hard Way”. Good luck fellow college students!
