College students are probably used to certain pieces of advice, like the importance of going to the library or the need to be involved in extracurricular activities. How about things like how to network and build great friendships and relationships or how to get ahead and the like?
Learning to cope with the difference between high school and college could be a little tasking. Hence, the need to be informed about things that can help you be the best not just in your school work but in all walks of life.
In this blog post, we’ll be sharing with you 10 pieces of advice for college students.
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Pay attention to your first semester
Most graduates, when asked what they wished they had done better while in college, often regret making a mess of their first semester. They lament that they spent their entire college career trying to recover from the damage inflicted on their GPA in the first semester.
Often, the change in class structure and the new kind of freedom can distract students, catching them off guard. Unlike high school, where your teachers coddle you and make you attend classes even when you do not feel like it, in college, your professor isn’t responsible for your class attendance.
It takes discipline to manage this situation and focus on the reason you are in college. Do not wait until you see your grades falling badly in your first semester before disciplining yourself to get rid of distractions.
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Don’t get too carried away with schoolwork and ignore your relationships
As much as your education is important, your friendships/relationships are also important. College is a great place to build lifetime relationships and meet with individuals that you can learn a thing or two from and also have positive impacts on your life.
So, do not underestimate the power of learning from and growing with people incredibly different from you. You will be astonished to hear their stories and to learn the lessons life has taught them, to see the world through the lens of another human being.
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Understand that professors are not teachers
As stated earlier, your professors will not coddle you, nor will they remind you to attend their classes.
Teachers in high school were trained and certified to educate. For professors, however, teaching is rarely, if ever, the top concern for them.
Professors win their professorship on their prowess in research after conducting a series of research, publishing papers, writing grant proposals, and the like. Simply put, they are basically researchers, so the extent to which they teach is determined by how interested they are in the subject matter.
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Have the desire to succeed
What really drives you or anyone to succeed is the desire to succeed. Once you do, your brain, heart, and mind will give in to work for it under all conditions. However, just dreaming about it isn’t enough. You have to plan for it, work and believe in yourself to attain it.
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Be confident
Be true to yourself and don’t feel the need to conform to other people’s ideas of what you should be as a college student. Be confident in yourself, in your values, and in the things you believe. Do not let anyone intimidate you or make you think less of yourself. After all, you’re all in school to learn.
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Do not procrastinate
No doubt it’s a little tempting to push things aside until tomorrow, but it often leads to a pile of things to do, which can lead to stress at the end of the day.
Stress levels, on the other hand, will be a lot lower if you regularly do your assignments on time – or even better, get a head start on them.
With the high degree of freedom afforded to students to craft their own schedules, procrastination turns out to be the end product most of the time.
To break free from procrastination, create time each week, every day, or every other day, dedicated to class work, and follow it.
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Your health matters
In a bid to be the best student you can be, do not ignore your health (physical and mental health).
Staying up all night to study or maintaining a poor/irregular eating habit can take its toll on you. Hence, the need to constantly pay attention to your health. Eat right, exercise well, and relax more often to maintain a healthy body and a healthy mind.
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Be organized
The high degree of freedom in college can be overwhelming, but keeping track of due dates and deadlines can help you avoid certain struggles peculiar to college students. For instance, when you are organized, you can avoid procrastination easily. Going to class won’t be a problem, nor will paying attention to your health be a challenge as well.
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Take your classes seriously and study well
This may seem like an obvious one, yet an easy one to overlook. Going to class will ensure that you are getting the information you need, not to mention that’s what you will be paying for.
Always remember that you’re at college for a reason – to further your education. You worked hard to get in and you’re paying for it. Go to tutoring centers if you need help. Your success can go a long way toward determining your future. So, go to class and study hard.
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Stay safe
Don’t get carried away with all that freedom. Stay safe.
Do not hesitate to use your campus emergency number if need be and do not forget to abide by your college safety rules always. Remember that your safety lies in your hands, unlike back in high school days when your teachers or parents were responsible for you.
Thank you.