College is a huge part of your life, and it’s a very important time of transition. There is much to consider, and you want to be fully prepared. While living through it will complete your experience, there are things you can do to help you in your planning. Keep reading to find out what to do!
When you enter college, try to reduce the amount of starches that you eat during your freshman year. Typically, you will put on a lot of weight in the initial stages of college, as this will help you to counter that. Try to incorporate a lot of fruits and vegetables into your diet.
Buy your school books a couple weeks before the term begins. Spend an hour familiarizing yourself with each of your books. If you have access to your course syllabus, check it out and see where in the book your class will be starting. This way you can get a bit of a head start.
Get enough rest. You’ll find in college that all-nighters and socializing can be very tempting, but you do need to rest too! If you don’t sleep enough, it will affect your mood and your performance and could ruin your experience of college.
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.
Talk to your professors. Things are a little different when you get to college. Your teachers are more approachable, and you can talk to them during their office hours. This gives you more time to ask questions, but you can also learn more about what drives them. They can help you with ideas for your career after you are done with college as well.
Purchase used books. College textbook prices can leave you in shell shock sometimes. Tuition is also very expensive, so you’ll want to save money in any way possible. You need to search online and in bookstores for the used textbooks. Used textbooks can often be bought at a considerable discount.
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.
Once you know what your major is, get to know the professionals in that department. They will be able to advise you and give you valuable information in how to meet your desires. Their experience will prove invaluable as you continue. Furthermore, if you have any problems, they will be able to help you.
Study groups are very beneficial for classes that are hard, as you should attend these if you see that your grades are falling. Team up with a friend to go over some of the material that you deem as difficult, as this can help you to gain a better understanding and a new perspective.
Do not let anyone, including yourself, pressure you into rushing your declaration or choice of major. At most colleges and universities, you are going to spend at least two years doing general education classes regardless. Use these to explore various avenues and fields of interest to winnow down to what really fascinates you.
Know your limits – don’t overwhelm yourself with too many courses. It may seem like a great idea to take as many courses that you can, but if you take too many, you may fail a few in the process. This totally defeats the time saving you were trying to accomplish!
Write out a to do list the night before. This is a great way to help prep your brain for all the studying you have to do tomorrow. You’ll wake up with a set of purpose instead of a sense of anxiety which will make your day that much easier to deal with.
If you were someone who hated high school, you just might actually love college. College classes are geared towards your major and the material is much more interesting than the standard material taught in high school. Many adult students who once did horrible in high school find themselves graduating college with high honors.
Now you should have a better idea as to how to properly plan for your college experience. It’s truly a very exciting time for you, and you want to make the most of it. Remember the helpful advice you’ve read here as you get ready to embark upon your college experience.
