Many students are surprised by how different college is from high school. However, these differences certainly don’t have to be perceived negatively. College is a time when students learn how to navigate the world with greater independence, build bonds with peers and have access to a multitude of resources. Whether you’re entering your first year of college or acting as a mentor to someone who is, follow some tips for a successful start.
Pay Close Attention to the Syllabus
In each class, you should receive a syllabus. While reading through the syllabus might not be the most exciting part of your college experience, a thorough examination of each document is critical. Each class syllabus should list important information about the course, including deadlines, attendance policies, information about quizzes, details about how to contact the professor and more. Your professor might read through the syllabus out loud on the first day of class, so be sure to pay close attention.
Interact with Your Peers
Engaging with your peers is such an important part of the college experience. In the classroom, many professors incorporate icebreaker activities into the lesson plan for the first day. You’ll also likely get to participate in small and large group activities in some or all of your classes. Don’t keep to yourself. College campuses also provide many opportunities for students to interact outside of the classroom. Join a club or two in an area that is of interest to you. Many universities offer activities that are suitable for both residents and commuters.
Attend Class On Time and Regularly
Too many students fall behind in college because they fail to arrive to class on time or to attend their courses regularly at all. Make sure that you can get to class by the start time. In even the first minute or two, you might miss important information about assignment deadlines or course expectations. Review the attendance policy for each class thoroughly. Keep in mind that attendance for college courses is typically treated similarly to attendance for a job. You can’t, for example, expect to have absences excused because you booked a leisure trip in the middle of the semester.
Get the Materials
Some students shrug off the necessity of course materials, such as textbooks, and fail to show up to class prepared with tools for taking notes. Your professors are recommending these materials to help you succeed in the course. If you aren’t provided with guidance on note-taking tools needed for the class, get a separate notebook and folder for each course. If you’re planning to take notes on your laptop, dedicate a separate document, file or folder to each class.
Silence Notifications
One of the biggest problems in college classroom stems is the use of cell phones and laptops for non-class related purposes. If you’re playing on social media, texting your friends or completing assignments for other classes, you’re going to miss the lecture and the activities. When it comes time to write a paper for the class or to take an exam, you’re likely to be lost.
Ask Questions
You’ll find that many, if not all, of your professors are eager for their students to ask questions. Whether you want more guidance on the first draft of a paper or you have some questions about a chapter in the textbook, don’t be afraid to ask your professor for help. Many professors have office hours, which are times that students are free to drop by or to make appointments with their instructors to talk about the course content. Remember that your professors can’t know that you have questions if you don’t ask.
Know Help Is Available
If you feel as though you’re struggling in a course or with living on your own, know that help is available. You could go to the writing or tutoring center for extra help with assignments and course content. College campuses are also often typically home to counseling centers, health and wellness facilities and advisement departments. Students who live on campus can ask their resident advisors to point them in the direction of the right resources. Your college should have support services specifically for commuters as well.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
The temptations to stay up late and to eat lots of junk food are strong in college, and you should certainly enjoy your time at school. However, aiming to maintain a healthy lifestyle is crucial for feeling good and doing your best. Find out about healthy food options that are available on campus, and make sure to eat all three meals. Wake up early enough to eat a healthy breakfast before going to your classes. Sign up for some exercise classes with your peers to stay fit.
Use a Planner
Staying mentally healthy while at college is of critical importance. Falling behind on your assignments can cause work to snowball, and you’ll find that deadlines are typically strict at the university level. Don’t expect to get regular extensions. At the start of the semester, put all of the deadlines for assignments, both large and small, into your planner. When new work is added on, immediately put those assignments into your planner as well. Doing so will help you to visually assess when you can and cannot take on additional responsibilities and activities.
Seat Reasonable Goals
It’s okay if you don’t earn an A in every single class during your first semester at college. Remember that you’re in school to learn, which often involves some level of trial and error. Set realistic goals for yourself. Of course, you should take any additional factors, such as scholarship requirements, into account. Some students put too much pressure on themselves to be perfect in every class though. Focus on the learning, and the grades should follow. If you focus too heavily on grades, you may very well neither learn nor earn the grades you want.
Plenty of people will say that college was one of the best times in their life, and you can also have this experience. Whether you’re a resident or a commuter, these tips can help you to get off to a good start.
Many students are surprised by how different college is from high school. However, these differences certainly don’t have to be perceived negatively. College is a time when students learn how to navigate the world with greater independence, build bonds with peers and have access to a multitude of resources. Whether you’re entering your first year of college or acting as a mentor to someone who is, follow some tips for a successful start.
Pay Close Attention to the Syllabus
In each class, you should receive a syllabus. While reading through the syllabus might not be the most exciting part of your college experience, a thorough examination of each document is critical. Each class syllabus should list important information about the course, including deadlines, attendance policies, information about quizzes, details about how to contact the professor and more. Your professor might read through the syllabus out loud on the first day of class, so be sure to pay close attention.
Interact with Your Peers
Engaging with your peers is such an important part of the college experience. In the classroom, many professors incorporate icebreaker activities into the lesson plan for the first day. You’ll also likely get to participate in small and large group activities in some or all of your classes. Don’t keep to yourself. College campuses also provide many opportunities for students to interact outside of the classroom. Join a club or two in an area that is of interest to you. Many universities offer activities that are suitable for both residents and commuters.
Attend Class On Time and Regularly
Too many students fall behind in college because they fail to arrive to class on time or to attend their courses regularly at all. Make sure that you can get to class by the start time. In even the first minute or two, you might miss important information about assignment deadlines or course expectations. Review the attendance policy for each class thoroughly. Keep in mind that attendance for college courses is typically treated similarly to attendance for a job. You can’t, for example, expect to have absences excused because you booked a leisure trip in the middle of the semester.
Get the Materials
Some students shrug off the necessity of course materials, such as textbooks, and fail to show up to class prepared with tools for taking notes. Your professors are recommending these materials to help you succeed in the course. If you aren’t provided with guidance on note-taking tools needed for the class, get a separate notebook and folder for each course. If you’re planning to take notes on your laptop, dedicate a separate document, file or folder to each class.
Silence Notifications
One of the biggest problems in college classroom stems is the use of cell phones and laptops for non-class related purposes. If you’re playing on social media, texting your friends or completing assignments for other classes, you’re going to miss the lecture and the activities. When it comes time to write a paper for the class or to take an exam, you’re likely to be lost.
Ask Questions
You’ll find that many, if not all, of your professors are eager for their students to ask questions. Whether you want more guidance on the first draft of a paper or you have some questions about a chapter in the textbook, don’t be afraid to ask your professor for help. Many professors have office hours, which are times that students are free to drop by or to make appointments with their instructors to talk about the course content. Remember that your professors can’t know that you have questions if you don’t ask.
Know Help Is Available
If you feel as though you’re struggling in a course or with living on your own, know that help is available. You could go to the writing or tutoring center for extra help with assignments and course content. College campuses are also often typically home to counseling centers, health and wellness facilities and advisement departments. Students who live on campus can ask their resident advisors to point them in the direction of the right resources. Your college should have support services specifically for commuters as well.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
The temptations to stay up late and to eat lots of junk food are strong in college, and you should certainly enjoy your time at school. However, aiming to maintain a healthy lifestyle is crucial for feeling good and doing your best. Find out about healthy food options that are available on campus, and make sure to eat all three meals. Wake up early enough to eat a healthy breakfast before going to your classes. Sign up for some exercise classes with your peers to stay fit.
Use a Planner
Staying mentally healthy while at college is of critical importance. Falling behind on your assignments can cause work to snowball, and you’ll find that deadlines are typically strict at the university level. Don’t expect to get regular extensions. At the start of the semester, put all of the deadlines for assignments, both large and small, into your planner. When new work is added on, immediately put those assignments into your planner as well. Doing so will help you to visually assess when you can and cannot take on additional responsibilities and activities.
Seat Reasonable Goals
It’s okay if you don’t earn an A in every single class during your first semester at college. Remember that you’re in school to learn, which often involves some level of trial and error. Set realistic goals for yourself. Of course, you should take any additional factors, such as scholarship requirements, into account. Some students put too much pressure on themselves to be perfect in every class though. Focus on the learning, and the grades should follow. If you focus too heavily on grades, you may very well neither learn nor earn the grades you want.
Plenty of people will say that college was one of the best times in their life, and you can also have this experience. Whether you’re a resident or a commuter, these tips can help you to get off to a good start.
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