I just finished up my first year of college and there are some tips Iâve seen going around that just arenât true or at least didnât work for me. So, here is the advice I wish I had.
1. Read. Your. Syllabus. Trust me on this, sometimes professors hide assignments and free points in the fine print to check if students actually read it. Donât miss free points.Â
2. Extra credit isnât very common, do it if you have the time.Â
3. You might not get along with your roommate, so learn how to compromise. Donât spend the whole semester fighting with them.Â
4. Avoid people and activities that you donât feel comfortable with. This is your time, donât waste it on things that bring you down.Â
5. Early classes arenât as bad as people make them out to be. Iâve had class start earlier than 8:00 each semester and I loved it. Iâm not a morning person either, so thatâs saying something.Â
6. Schedule classes at times that you feel most focused. There is nothing worse than going to lecture and accidentally falling asleep.Â
7. Go. To. Class. You are paying for them.Â
8. Try to eat somewhat healthy. Donât be that person who eats pizza every day of the week.Â
9. Try to get enough sleep. Sometimes itâs not possible, but if you have the chance, take it.
10. Take advantage of student discounts.
11. Have a water bottle on you at all times. Dehydration is no joke.Â
12. Changing majors is completely fine! I ended up hating my major and switched to a different and I am so, so much happier.Â
13. If college isnât for you, that is also fine. Do what is best for you.
14. Similar to above, if you donât like your college, but still want to get a degree, transferring is a great option. I canât speak from personal experience on this one, but I know people who have and it has made all the difference for them.
15. Donât feel pressured to party and/or drink. If you want to thatâs fine, but watch your deadlines and gpa.
16. Take advantage of free events put on by your college. Mine has movie screenings and all sorts of events.Â
17. Dorms arenât that bad. I actually really liked mine and the rooms were a decent size.Â
18. Donât pack more than you need and donât buy everything off of those âwhat you need for collegeâ lists. If youâve never used something in your life, you probably wonât use it in college.
19. Start studying for exams at least a couple days in advance.Â
20. Past exams and practice exams are your best friend. They make studying so much easier.Â
22. If youâre having trouble in a subject, use your resources. There are tutors and hundreds of online videos and resources to help.Â
23. Studying the day of the exam isnât helpful, it just stresses you out.
24. Try and get some exercise. Even just stretching for a couple minutes helps.Â
25. Make time for yourself.
26. A couple good friends can go a long way, you donât have to have a big group.Â
27. Imposter syndrome is very real, but everyone is thinking the same thing so try not to worry about it too much.
Iâm sure I missed some points here so feel free to add your tips to this list.