Everyone has a similar idea of attending college, making lots of friends and having lots of fun. This is not a good approach, however. It is not an approach that values hard work. You must apply yourself prior to having fun while in college. This article can help you get your priorities in order so that you can have a well rounded college experience.
When preparing for college, create a list of what you’ll need. You need to be prepared for school to avoid calling your parents for items weekly. If you go to school far away, this is important.
When you first apply for college, learn about the professors. It is important to develop a good relationship with the instructors if you want to do well. Talk to them all, and get to know their expectations. It will help you throughout your entire college or university experience to have them on your side.
It is important to get plenty of sleep. Although young people feel indestructible, they actually need more sleep to function well than older people. If you do not get enough sleep, you will have a hard time concentrating and will not get the most from your classes.
Download foreign language learning podcasts and MP3 lessons onto your MP3 player or tablet. Listen to the lessons while driving or riding the bus to school. This will help prepare you for your foreign language classes. You can practice pronunciation, and work on vocabulary instead of wasting your travel time.
If you are trying to make some extra money when you are away at school and do not want it to interfere with your studies you should check out work study. Most of the time you will be able to get a position within your area of study and you can actually learn something.
A great tip if you’re just starting out in college is to take a wide variety of classes. Sometimes you just have no idea what you want to do, and taking a wide variety of classes will open you up to many different subjects, subjects you never knew you’d be interested in.
Don’t take too many hard classes at one time. It is easy to burn yourself out and not do well at any of them. Try choosing one or two hard classes and three easier ones.
During your first couple of years in college, explore your education options. This is the time when you can find out what you are really interested in studying. If you try different types of classes, you may discover a subject that you really like to major in. Keep your options open and do not limit yourself.
Try to stick it out through your entire first year before making a final decision on whether or not a school is right for you. It’s natural for college students to feel homesick and overwhelmed because college is a completely different world. After a year, if the school still does not appeal to you, it is time to contemplate your next move.
Gather together a good group of like-minded college friends. When you have people around you that are committed to succeeding, you’ll be more apt to succeed as well. You can always have fun in the group of friends you go with. A healthy balance of studying and fun can be achieved.
When studying for exams, try setting goals. Like anything else that has time-restraints, setting goals can keep you focused. In this case, your main goal would be to pass the exam. To accomplish that, try listing small goals of what you want to accomplish at certain times in order to be ready in time for the test.
Resist the urge to skip a class simply because a professor’s syllabus allows for an absence. These absences should be saved for when absolutely necessary, and if you use one for fun early in the term you may be regretting it if you are ill or otherwise unable to attend but must get to campus to save your grade.
Using your skills to earn a little extra cash is a good idea if you’re proficient in certain academic areas. You can use your knowledge to tutor students and earn extra money. Place ads on the community boards or through the student services office. Advertising online is another idea as well.
Try to schedule your classes around your work schedule instead of the other way around. If you start planning early, you can often find classes that don’t interfere with your work schedule. This can be more challenging if you work a low-wage job, but often your employer will work with you.
As you know, college isn’t all about partying, no matter what movies might have you to believe. It’s important that you prioritize yourself and focus on your classes before you make time for fun. The tips above will help you do just that so that you are able to be an academic success and have a little fun along the way as well
