3 Ways To Succeed In College

Give yourself incentives to study in advance. Don’t cash your paycheck until you’re finished with that term paper. Celebrate with friends after you’ve taken the test. Treat yourself to something you’ve been wanting after you finish your studying goals. Choose your priorities. It is not possible to fit in all the same social, academic, employment, and logistical responsibilities in college that you did in high school. Be realistic about how much time is required to meet your academic obligations and how much you can devote to social activities.

Another reason to take advantage of this broad range of classes in college is that you’re likely to change careers over your lifetime, and even a class or two can make an impact in know-how and understanding. Anecdotally, you are likely to be in a different field at the end of your career than the one in which you started. [1] X Research source

Go to office hours with the intent of improving your mastery of the course material, and not just to “show your face” in an attempt to suck up, change a grade, or appear more dedicated. Office hours are your opportunity for extra help with ideas and methodologies with which you are having trouble. Arrive prepared with specific questions. Bring your class notes and your textbook. Ask specific questions about the concepts where you need help. Professors will not repeat an entire lecture that you missed. Professors want to help you, but always remember that you are responsible for your motivation and success. Look for a mentor. A mentor can be a professor or staff member who can dispense advice specific to your goals. Start with the professors in the department of your major. There is usually a program advisor who can help you choose classes make recommendations for graduate school. However, do not expect a mentor to secure a job for you after you have graduated.

How much time does it take an idea to stick for you? Do you need weeks before the light bulb goes off, or days? What kind of a learner are you? Keep in mind that while you may have a preferred way of learning things, this does not excuse you from engaging with other teaching and learning styles. [2] X Research source Are you: An auditory learner? Do you learn by hearing something? You would rather have an idea explained aloud than reading in. A visual learner? Do you learn by seeing something? You would rather learn by looking at graphs, reading, or watching a demonstration. A kinesthetic learner? Do you learn by touching something? You would rather build whatever you’re reading about, and see it in action. What time of the day do you work best? Do you bust out a lot of work in the morning, or are you a night owl?

Take the time to do clubs and events outside your immediate social circle. It’s fine to invite your best friends to participate in your club’s activities. But what if bringing your friends along means that you wouldn’t have met another potential friend? Try to meet as many interesting people as possible during your time in college. Don’t make friendship an exclusive right shared only by you and your inner circle.

Be a gracious party-goer. Don’t litter bottles around someone’s room, make a mess in someone’s kitchen, or use someone’s bed without their permission. Bring cups or soda, or if you’re old enough, beer or wine. It’s never bad being the person that the host takes a liking to because they’re generous and well-mannered. Be careful about drugs. Know which drugs are likely to harm you and which drugs are milder. (Alcohol and marijuana in moderation aren’t likely to put you in the emergency room, but cocaine, meth, hallucinogens, and painkillers can all be potentially fatal, especially if you mix them with each other or with alcohol. ) Some students find that college is a time to experiment with drugs, but follow your conscience. Don’t do anything you’re not comfortable doing. In addition, remember that you never know for sure what’s in a particular drug.

Always use protection. Whether you’re a guy or a girl, always keep a condom on you if you’re sexually active. If used correctly, a condom is 98% effective in preventing pregnancy. [3] X Research source Don’t agree on sex unless you or your partner uses protection. Contracting HIV, herpes, or another STI is as easy as having unprotected sex one time. And unlike your excitement, which will fade with time, an STI like herpes won’t go away. [4] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source Understand that alcohol severely impairs your judgment and decision-making skills. Even a small amount of alcohol will decrease your inhibitions, meaning that you’ll find it easier to justify having sex with someone you might not have if you were sober. [5] X Research source Understand this before you start drinking. Get straight on the myths about sex. Let’s debunk some of the myths about sex: “The birth control pill protects me from STIs. " Myth. Birth control will not protect you from STIs like HIV/AIDS. [6] X Research source “I can’t get pregnant if I’m on my period. " Myth. You can absolutely get pregnant when you’re on your period. “I can’t get pregnant if I’m a virgin and it’s my first time having sex. " Myth. Unfortunately, this is false. You still have a 5% chance of getting pregnant. “The birth control pill is effective the first day you start taking it. " Myth. It can take up to a month for the birth control pill to become effective.

The optimal diet for a college student is the same as it is for everyone else: eat lean meat or protein, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and stay away from sodas, candy, simple carbohydrates, and saturated fats. [7] X Research source Not only will you feel better, but you’ll also be in better shape to avoid the infamous freshman 15. Exercise is a miracle drug, except that it’s not really a drug. Exercise helps us burn fat, build muscle, lower cholesterol, ease stress, and sleep better. [8] X Research source Join an intramural sports team, do laps in the gym pool, or simply take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you do nothing else, try to get in 30 minutes of walking a day. Get enough sleep. One of the best ways to maximize academic performance on tests is getting a good night’s sleep. [9] X Research source In fact, students who pull all nighters, students with sleep disorders, and students who routinely stay up late on weeknights all perform worse in college than students who get regular, comfortable, lasting sleep. [10] X Research source

Escort you to your home or dorm if you feel unsafe. Give you valuable safety tips about living in your area (especially applicable in an urban setting). Investigate crimes that happen on campus. If you’ve been a victim of a crime, especially robbery, rape, coercion, or assault, please notify the campus security and/or local police.

Other times, the college or university will pay you to perform research with a teacher or department. This is where having a mentor (see above) becomes important. Letters of reference are necessary to convince the department that you are a qualified candidate for the research position. Such positions are extremely competitive, require an excellent academic background and strong letters of reference, and require a great deal of work.

Study abroad costs money. Lots of it. If you want to study in Florence, Italy or Shanghai, China, or virtually anywhere else, it’s going to cost you a pretty penny. There are scholarships and aid, but you can’t always count on them. Student loans take time to pay off. If you’re like most college students, you’ll have a lot of loans to pay off once you leave college. Getting them (and the interest payments) paid off can play a huge part in what your budget looks like after you graduate.