After all the stress of getting into a college, most students are surprised to learn that the stress isn’t over. The adjustment to college life can be overwhelming and confusing at times, but if you know the right information it can be easier. Here are some tips to help you make a seamless transition into life at college.
Go visit several potential colleges to help you decide where you want to go to college. By visiting universities, private colleges and community colleges, you can decide what environment you really want to be in. Most colleges offer several tours throughout the school year. Many also offer an opportunity to shadow a student to see what a normal day is like.
A great tip that will help you succeed in college is to carefully plan out your course load each semester. You don’t want to get overzealous and pick way too many hard classes at once. You’ll barely be able to keep up, and you won’t be capable of submitting your best work.
Make sure to make time for both socializing and academics. Some students spend all their times in their dorm rooms studying, which can be depressing and lonely, while others are so social that their coursework suffers. You should get out of your room and do something fun at least once a week and devote at least an hour a night to studying for each of your classes to help you stay balanced.
Avoid studying for big college exams the night before by taking in a lot of caffeine or other stimulants. While these things can keep you up and able to study for longer, they will make you very tired in the morning. After using chemical stimulants for a while, you will need more and more and that can be damaging to your overall physical and mental health.
Eat a healthy breakfast before taking a test. Grab fruit and yogurt to be eaten on the go if you must. If you are hungry, you will never be able to concentrate on the exam. A grumbling tummy and low energy can affect your test scores, so try to stay focused by eating breakfast.
Student’s discounts are one of the best perks of college, especially if you need to save money. Check with your student resource center or ask an adviser for a list of perks. Many local restaurants, movie theaters and bookstores offer generous discounts when you present a student ID. This allows you to save money and show school pride.
Make sure to pay off your credit card balance each month if you have one. This is the only way to avoid penalties and late fees. It is best to use a credit card only for emergencies. You might want to go ahead and spend money on your credit card, but you should focus on school and not spend money on entertainment. You don’t want to encounter any financial troubles.
If you are struggling in your classes, ask the professor if there are any tutoring options available. By enlisting the help of a tutor you will normally be able to score better on tests, learn the information better and get a more rounded understanding of the curriculum. If a tutor is not available, ask around on campus. There are many study groups available that are student led.
Every time you purchase something with cash, put your spare change into a jar and try not to touch it. Once the jar has filled up, count out the money and use it toward something you need, like books or living expenses. While it may be easier to use a coin-counting machine, try and refrain. You will wind up giving them too much of your hard-earned cash.
If you are an adult going back to college, try signing up for night classes. The classes during the day time are full of young adults right out of high school. The night classes are usually filled with adults and students who are serious about their education. It will result in a much better college experience.
Don’t focus on your friends back home or a boyfriend or girlfriend in your home town. Chances are you will not stay together through four years of college and you will grow apart. Just enjoy college, meet new people, and feel lucky that you have the opportunity to get away from home to better yourself and branch out.
Register for courses as early as you can. If you wait to long, you may not get into the classes you want. Register for your classes the first day that they are offered. That will ensure you aren’t scrambling.
If you have never been to college, you don’t know what kind of an adjustment it can be. Take the tips laid out here and use them to make you have an easier time with the transition. If you apply these tips to your life, you will find that your college life is a blast!
