Below are some tips that i wish can help some students going to college/university after summer. I would also recommend you to read some books regarding college success to have a better idea of college or university.
Make sure you know what your goals are - that’s going to make a great difference + keep you so much more motivated.
Set your long-term (the job you want to pursue), middle-term (a degree of further education), short-term goals (a gpa you want to obtain)
If you don’t know what you exactly want to do in the future, you can either speak to other professionals/career advisers, look it up on google, or set a goal that is not as long-term
Having a clear goal is going to be a major motivation in your university life.
The myth that college is all about fun and that you don’t have to study at all is definitely false. Actually, you have to be even more self-disciplined and work even harder during college.
And the most important thing you have to learn is to always stay organised
that includes your class schedule, your professors availability, your study routine, your assignments deadlines and test/exams dates + syllabus, your handouts and study materials and your textbooks (and whether or not you should but them)
And you should also set a certain amount of time to study each day/week, and try your best to meet the target. College and living in dorm means there will be a lot of entertainment and distractions, and so you have to be very disciplined.
Being disciplined means going to lectures and clases + do your readings. Nobody is going to tell you to do it all the time, and your friends may even discourage you from doing it. but they do contribute so much to your grades.
As an uni student, there are so many opportunities and priviledges available. Yet nobody would tell you about these except you search for them
So the number one rule is do your own research, and join/participate in things and activities that you like
And don’t be afraid to do that! You never know what you are going to gain after joining the activities!
If you are afraid that social activities may impede your studies, you can try to join activities that are related to your area of studies and career path, so that you can meet people with similar goals + can motivate each other and share resources and such
You actually should actively make friends (esp people from your major). They can share their experiences with studying that major, or finding internships or can even provide you with some past notes/textbooks (which may help you a lot!)
Career opportunities + networking
If you want something, ask for it by yourself. They are not going to come to you automatically. If you want to join some research programme, send an email for it. It’s all about you and what opportunities you want to take. When you are too afraid to take them, they are going to pass away without you noticing.
So don’t be afraid to email your professor. One thing you should really do during freshman year is to network with perhaps 3-5 professors
Always have your résumé/CV prepared and keep it updated - this is going to help you a lot. You are going to need it whenever you apply for either competitions, or research programs, or summer/internship programs.
#16 || link to my study tips series - i post once a week here ( strive-for-da-best )
