currently i’m a 2nd semester sophomore, and i’ve learned so many important things over the course of the 4 semesters i’ve been at university. this is just a list of tips i found helpful or eye-opening. (also, i’m going to leave out tips that i’ve seen often) i hope they are of use to all of you !
in the classroom:
find a seat near the plug-point if you take digital notes, you’re going to find yourself running out of battery one day, and it’s going to suck if you can’t take notes on your device because of a dead device. even if you take paper notes, charging your phone will always come in handy. being by a plug-point seems like a minor tip, but it’s super important !
if you find that the place you usually sit is surrounded by noisy/distracting students, MOVE i don’t know how important this is. make your environment a perfect one. if there are chatty students behind you and you find it really hard to understand the lecture, get outta there. you’re going to find your focus is stronger when you can hear the professor. also, if you sit near students who watch videos or scroll through social media and find that this distracts you, move. you’re going to accidentally look over their shoulder and miss the lecture
please don’t check your phone every second this is going to affect your focus big time. just don’t do it. put it on vibrate if you’re waiting for a notification/call and keep it away.
at the beginning of the semester, find out what previous students have told the professor about study habits that worked for them most often that not, students will tell their professors what’s worked for them. ask your professor to share this information with you ! some students will find that taking book notes was helpful after hearing the day’s lecture. sometimes students will think it’s more helpful to read the book before attending class. it’s your final call, but take the time to find out what’s helped others ! chances are, certain ideas might help you too.
free time:
use your time wisely i’m not telling you to study every single minute, but i’m also warning you against hanging out with friends the entire time too. if between classes you have an hour’s break, try to use that time wisely. if you have a large exam coming up, use that time to study. if you’ve just finished a crazy week and have nothing major due soon, use that time to relax. it’s all about balance
take advantage of uni pianos even if you can’t play, it’s really therapeutic to sit near the campus pianos and listen to students play. music is so soothing, and if the player isn’t singing along, it’s the perfect ambience for studying.
explore your campus find spots you can be productive in. find places where you and your friends can get together and hang out. find places where you can be by yourself and enjoy alone time. your campus is full of different places, all waiting for you to explore !
take advantage of student discounts/freebies my university offers free tickets for the gardens and the museums, and often i’ll find myself wandering in there with friends or by myself. it’s a great opportunity to learn something, relax, or have fun !
acquaint yourself with the staff be friendly with the workers at the cafes, little food stalls in your buildings, and the janitors. everyone is worth a “hello” and some kindness ! and they will repay your kindness in the most wonderful ways ! i remember leaving my lunch at home, and the cafe girl gave me a free cookie because she knew me so well. little gestures make the biggest differences in both their lives and your life.
in the room:
keep it neat, cozy, and “you” your room doesn’t have to be completely bare, but also keep it from being a museum of things. keep a hamper and immediately dispose of clothing. once the hamper fills up, do the laundry. dirty clothing in a room after a while really smell bad. throw away wrappers, trash, and leftover food as soon as your done with it. bugs or vermin are the worst. fans and little heaters are your best friends. bring speakers to listen to your media through—it’s the best way to complete your habit.
open the windows occasionally you need fresh air. it’s so important to get some breeze through sometimes. also, you may not be aware of smells, but a roommate/suitemate will be able to smell anything different. open up the windows and flush out all the bad and let in all that good !
keep “emergency” food. you never know when you’re going to get hungry—if the cafeteria is closed when you’re craving food, you’ll really save yourself. vending machine food is also in most dorms, but if you don’t want to partake in vending machine food, it’s really best to keep some food with you.
extra sheets keep an extra pair of sheets. you never know when you’re going to spill food or bodily fluids on the sheets.
vacuum regularly hair, dust, food, etc. will become their own entities by the first month in your room, so take the time to vacuum yourself, even if that means asking the janitor/cleaner for the vacuum cleaner.
teachers:
if you like a teacher and find yourself in love with their class, become their best friend whether your ulterior motive is for recommendation letters or not, having a teacher you can go to and chat with is the best. a generally wiser and more aware mind is always good to have around, and if you’re not in the position to communicate with siblings/parents often, take the opportunity to get to know a professor well.
show your teacher appreciation somehow. gifts, cards, origami, verbal-appreciation: anything that lets the teacher know that you appreciate their teaching/impact on you, do it. you may not know how big of an impact you’ll make on them for doing so. i gifted a professor a mug after the semester way over, and she sent me the most heart-warming email and told me shed tears after opening up my card. these things are just beautiful experiences that you definitely will be happy for after.
attend their outside-of-class lectures lots of teachers will present on their research or be invited to lecture about something somewhere on campus. these have proved to be extremely useful !!! this allows you to meet all sorts of people, staff, researchers, etc. connections are made in places like these, so attend !!
