Ten Things I Wish I Knew Before College

 

1.    Don’t buy text books before the first week of school!

You do not need the textbook on the first day of class. Most of the teachers will tell you on the first day of class to not buy the text book because it will not be cracked open. Other teachers will tell you to go ahead and buy the book. If you need a book for class try buying it online or from former students to save money. Buying books from the books store can be very expensive and a waste of money.

2.    Before you register for classes look up your teachers on ratemyprofessor.com

 

            You want to try to get the best teachers you can and by looking them up on rate my professor you can see what former students have said about their teachers. You can get the inside scoop by reading what other students have posted. You will be able to see how well of a teacher he/she is, if the book is needed, the grade students received in the class, attendance, if the student would take this teacher again, and if they class is easy or hard.

3.    Don’t be afraid to approach people and make new friends.

 

Chances are you and your classmates will not know anybody on the first day of class. This is the perfect time to get to know your roommate or just make new friends. Easy ways to make new friends without it being awkward is something simple like asking to sit with a group of people at the lunch table or asking someone where your class is, might start a conversation. You want to take advantage of the first week of class where nobody knows each other so it’s easier to make friends. If you wait until later it might be harder because everybody will have already went past that stage of not knowing anybody.

 

4.    You might think you know how to study but you actually have no idea.

 

In high school you can get away with not studying and make and A on the test. In college you will study for hours and make a D on the exam. When it comes to college exams you literally have to know everything your teacher has taught you because you never know what is going to be on the exam. If your teacher tells you to only know certain information because only that will be on the test, DO NOT LISTEN!  Every time my teacher has told me that, they changed their minds once it was time to take the exam. Everything you studied for will not be on the exam yet the information you did not study for will be on the exam. The best thing you can do is know all the information that way when you take the exam you for sure will get an A.

5.    You will never regret staying in to study.

 

 

DO NOT PROCRASTINATE!!! Panic is not fun for anybody. You’ll end up underachieving and fail to reach your potential, which will eat away at you over time and will fill you with regret and self-loathing. If you stay in to study and you get an A on your exam or paper you will be proud and happy with the way you did things. If you go to a party, spend too much time on Facebook, or get catch up watching Netflix instead of writing your paper or studying for an exam, that is what you’re going to regret.

 

 

6.    Know your priorities.

 

 

Know your priorities is very important. Do your assignments in the order that they are due. You do not want to put off an assignment that is due tomorrow while you’re working on another assignment that is not due until next week.  You want to try your best to stay ahead in your classes.  When you are finished with your first semester you want to feel great and relieved that you’re done. However, if you do not get your priorities in order it could cause you to fall behind and you’ll end up having to take the same class next semester.

 

7.    Do not skip class.

Have you ever lost money? How about hundreds of dollars? When you skip class your losing money, it’s really like you’re throwing it out the window. When you skip class you’re missing a lot of information the teacher taught that day. In college it is your responsibility to ask the teacher what you missed. The teacher will not chase you down to tell you what you missed like in high school. Skipping class can actually lower your grade. Not only are you missing the lecture but some teachers count attendance as part of your grade. Most teachers will only allow you to miss a couple days before you automatically fail the class. You may think you’re taking the day off but in the end you’ll be more stressed out than you originally were. You’ll have to play catch up and teach yourself the lesson. Class time is a great way to discuss and review information so you don’t have to do it on your own.  If you skip class you end up missing out in life. Going to class allows you to make small talk with other students, it allows the chance to make new friends or a study partner.

8.    Sit in the front row of class.

Students who sit in the front of the class may find it easier to develop a better relationship with their teacher. It may improve classroom engagement, it’s easier to talk to your professor rather than sitting in the back of the room. Students who tend to sit in the front get better grades. You will be more likely to pay attention by sitting in the front of the classroom. By sitting in the front will eliminate distractions. If you sit in the back of the classroom there is the chance of another student blocking your view of the board, you will be more likely to play on your phone and the chance of not paying attention will rise.

9.    Internships are key building blocks.

Not only do internships get your foot in the door with an employer but there are other advantages. Internships allow you to test drive a career. It allows you to gain a real world perspective on your career. Which will also allow you to accumulate new skills. You get a feel for the culture, etiquette, and have the chance to build a relationship with your mentors. 

 

10.                       College will fly by.

Studying and making good grades is very important. However, it is also important to take a break from school and live a little. You never want to stress too much, always do activities like going for a run, workout, get your nails done, do anything that will bring your stress level down. Take advantage of the extracurricular activities your school has to offer. Most schools have a campus recreational center which includes different activities like aquatics, rock climbing, yoga, volleyball, paddling, boarding and more. Student fest is definitely something you don’t want to miss out on. Student fest is a festival the school puts on for the students. The school will provide lots of free food and activities for the students to enjoy. Do not miss out on free food.