In a few months, it will be time for many of you to go to college for the first time. You’ll be exposed to new ideas and concepts and meet people who are nothing like you. For some of you, being responsible for yourself will be your first major change. Here are some tips to help you have a successful first year at college.
1. Get tutors for your subjects as soon as possible. Many universities offer free tutorial services. However, if university tutors aren’t an option for you, find another student who is willing to tutor you, perhaps someone who has passed the course previously.
2. Make sure you participate in study groups. Focused course study groups can provide additional information about an exam or the course you may have missed. One of the students may have had an earlier conference with the professor and learned some useful study information. Also, the cliché, “Two heads are better than one” often applies to studying for an exam.
3. Establish a strong grade point average your first year. Strive for the 4.0 and not the 2.0. It’s harder to pull up your grade point average once it drops. Research papers and essays can gain you good grades.
6. Establish relationships with your college professors. Know where their offices are located and their office hours. Make appointments with them if you cannot attend their regularly scheduled office hours.
7. Make sure you schedule appointments with your academic advisor. Your advisor will be able to tell you the courses you need to take for your major and minor in order to graduate on time. They can help you create your course schedule. Your advisor should be able to advise you about which courses should not be taken simultaneously. For instance, taking Chemistry 101 and Physics 101 would be a bad idea.
8. Study first, and then socialize. Some fun activity will always be going on while you’re in college, especially if you live in a dorm. Stay focused, and once you’ve studied sufficiently, you can join the fun.
9. Make sure you have some fun. You cannot study all the time. You will have to do something to release your stress and relax your brain. Play sports, go to the movies, or hang out with friends. Just do something that you enjoy.
Following these tips will help you establish a strong academic foundation your first year in college, and before you know it, you’ll be sharing these tips with the next incoming class.