It happens to the best of us: we begin a new semester with renewed hope and rested bodies with the thought that “yes, this will be the semester I will get straight A’s” It does not matter if you are an entering freshmen or an experienced senior, everyone needs to be organized in some way to achieve their greatest potential.
With the Fall semester a couple of weeks away, it might be a good idea to start planning how to be successful this semester. After two years of college, I have learned many small things along the way that contribute not only to grades you can be proud of, but to being a happy college student. While you have most likely read these tips over and over, I am here to reiterate them and tell you that they do work!
1. Eat breakfast.
Such an obvious thing, right? When we wake up ten minutes before for a 7:30 am class, we don’t even have time to drink water in the morning, let alone eat a balanced, healthy breakfast. My first semester in college, I had a 7:30 class and woke up late so many times that my stomach growling alone should’ve been my participation (points for the day). Not only was it embarrassing, but I started having stomach aches. I found that eating anything in the morning and drinking some water makes me feel much more alert, and in a good mood for an early class. So, buy granola bars, your favorite cereal, bagels, juice bottles (really, any fast breakfast item you like) and put it in your backpack the night before so you can eat it on your way to class, or in class.
2.Take notes!
Being in college gives us so much freedom to do whatever we want. We are not obligated to show up for class, let alone take notes. But, listen to me when I tell you to TAKE NOTES, even when the Professor or TA says to not take notes on something. Take organized notes, highlight important parts and keep separate notebooks for each subject. In one of my upper division political science classes, I noticed the professor said “don’t take notes on this, its not important” too often.
Nevertheless, (being the annoyingly conscientious person I am) I took small margin notes on what he said, and sure enough, all that was on the midterm and final. Moral of the story, take concise, organized notes (preferably hand written and not typed), write them over in your free time if you have to.
3. Do the readings!
This is similar to taking notes, no one forces you to buy or rent the pricey textbook or read it. However, it is always a good idea to rent the textbook and read the chapters assigned! I am not sure with other areas of study, but in social science classes reading the material is ALWAYS crucial whether it is helpful in showing off to your professor in a room of 200 students or answering questions on a final.
Keep a schedule and break down your reading during the week, that way you are not stuck reading 12 chapters of a dense politics book the night before the final.
4. Build connections with your professors and TAs.
I understand that many times it can be intimidating to approach a person with so many letters after their name and ask questions that are probably so obvious. However, most professors are eager to help you succeed in any way they can whether it is about class or to mentor you about your future career.
My second year in college I really started visiting office hours (I am ashamed to say I only visited office hours once my freshman year) and I instantly understood the importance of having such intelligent people in your professional network. Not only did my professors and TA’s help me with their class, but they mentored me with my future plans and wrote recommendation letters for me that helped me so much.
5. Join clubs and become an officer.
It is obvious that you should join clubs your first year that align with your interests and field of study. However, go that extra step and run to be an officer within the club or organization! Not only does it give you a chance to really interact with club members, but it gives you the opportunity to be a leader (which always looks great on resumes, and many times counts as work experience).
6. Take weekend nights off.
When I was visiting a law school, a law student told me that something they did learn until law school was to take at least one night off from school. While many people do not do enough work, there are many that dive into their work, or simply have so much going on that they do not give themselves a break to breathe.
Take time for yourself, your mental and physical help will thank you in the long run. Take these nights to do anything you love to do, whether it’s to go out with friends or take a night to yourself and relax. College can be extremely fast paced and time consuming, but do not forget to take care ion yourself!
7. Learn to say no.
This brings me to my next point: say no once in a while. I am not really talking about peer pressure (although you should also learn to not be influenced by other people and always do what you think is right). I am talking about saying yes to helping someone with their homework, saying yes to a study group, agreeing to help a friend move, saying yes to a research project, and going to your friend’s dance recital, them realize it is all on the same week when you have all your midterms.
It is okay to say no once in a while, do not overfill your plate! Something I have found helpful is to never promise anything, that way no one’s feelings get hurt and you can always excuse yourself if you cannot make whatever crazy thing requires your presence.
8. Find a place strictly for studying.
Of course, this varies for everyone. Many people like studying by themselves in a totally quiet environment while other s enjoy studying in groups or in crowded Starbucks. Wherever your study space is make sure to associate it with studying only. For example, it is not a good idea to study on your bed, I learned this the hard way after falling asleep on top of my book way too many times.9. Wear a coat during the winter.
Thought this was something only your mom nagged you about? Think again because I am here to tell you not only to wear a coat during winter months but to take extra care of yourself during the winter time. No one wants to take a three hour final with a fever, an annoying cough, or a stuffy nose. Make sure you take plenty of Vitamin C and wear a jacket in the cold. Many times professors do not offer make up finals and you will be stuck retaking class you could've passed if you weren’t so sick.
10. Make close friends.
College is a place to socialize (aside from the academic stuff) and if you put in a little effort is very easy to have a large group of friends. However, make sure to have a couple of friends who are more intimate and you can talk to about more serious topics and you can count on with more than just partying. I know that I could not have been able to get through my first two years of college with out the friends I could talk to when I was experiencing anxiety. Quality over quantity!
