5 Key’s to Doing Well in College
1. Go To Class.
This is by far the most crucial key to college and the one most often neglected by those that don’t make it. If you will simply go to class I believe that in most majors you will find it difficult not to pass. Many freshmen have this sudden newfound freedom and are not sure how to deal with it. They go out to much, sleep to late and forget how to go to class without someone waking them up each morning. Erratic schedules and start times increase this problem. Going to class makes the amount of studying you need to do drastically less. I find if I just show up to class and avoid the crossword puzzle and sleeping, then my study time drops by half. Going to class is also the easiest way to earn teacher goodwill. Sometimes you need a hint on your homework, some information before the test, or the extra five points to pull out you’re A on the final. Teacher goodwill can be the difference between letter grades.
2. Study
This is the second easiest way to pass your classes that is often neglected. STUDY! Try not to wait until the night before the test. Actually pick up your book, do some reading, take some notes, and start working at least 2 nights before the test. It has been shown in multiple studies that you will better absorb the material over 2 or more nights than you will in one, even if the total study time is the same. So just study. I know it’s hard. I know you hate calculus, or chemistry, or whatever class it is. It doesn’t matter. Just crack the books and do what you need to do. At a later date I’ll talk about smart study habits and time management.
3. Prioritize
Prioritizing is something that I have noticed many freshmen really struggle to do. Kids that are new to college often really struggle with points #3-5. In high school your schedule is much more regimented. You have to be up each morning at the same time. You go to class from 8-2, sports 2-6, dinner, and you probably have a curfew. In college you may have class at 7:30 one day and 2pm the next. You might be in bed at midnight one night, and party until 3 the next. You also now have your choice of extra-curricular activities as well as a job. Now that everything is up in the air students often struggle with the decision of what to put first. I have had friends skip studying for a test so they could go to a formal. I’ve watched friends skip important classes to go to an intramural game. I’ve also seen kids really struggle when learning to deal with having several assignments, papers and tests due in a very short period. Decide what is most important and start working your way down the list.
4. Time Management
Time management relates very closely with prioritization. Once you have put your priorities in order then you must learn how to use your time effectively. There is nothing wrong with having a job, joining a fraternity, having a leadership position in an organization, and a full class load if you are willing to put in the time and balance your life. But to be able to do something like this you must learn to work quickly and efficiently. When you sit down to write a paper or study, then focus solely on that. Don’t check your facebook or chat with your friends. Don’t watch the tv. Spend each minute as wisely as possible. Don’t procrastinate. Focus and get things done one step at a time. Without the external deadlines of high school, our parents, and others it takes much more personal discipline to work on things before they are due. I know I am the king of procrastination and wanting to watch tv while I study. It takes a lot of personal discipline to learn not waste away your afternoon’s. We’ll talk more about time management techniques in a future post.
5. Balance
Again this relates to #3 and #4. In college it is very easy to become swept up with one activity that everything else gets neglected. Now this could be schoolwork, a job, or an extracurricular, but most likely it will be girls, drinking and partying. Learn to keep a nice balance. If you study all the time you will miss out on some of the best times of your life. I always liked the quote that “you can always retake a class but you can never relive a great party.” On the other hand, if you completely neglect the real reason you are in college, then you will quickly find you don’t stay around long enough to enjoy many more of those parties.
I have friends that I have watched barely pass for a year or two until their parents cut off the money train and they are back in their home towns working 40 hours a week and (hopefully) attending the local community college. I also have friends that have literally spent their entire college career in the library because they are afraid to make a B in a class. While grades are important so is becoming a interesting, well-rounded individual. Not only have these people missed out on what could have been the best time of their life, they will also find that when interviews for jobs begin that these people are more interested in your life than your GPA. So I’ll repeat one more time, Balance.
