Recently I read a New York Times article giving basic tips on how to be successful in college as an incoming freshman. Even as a second semester college student I found these tips to be beneficial, leaving me wishing I had read this before I began college. The article contains nine different tips to help you succeed, but I am only going to talk about the ones that I saw to be the most valuable.
The first was to live in the academic moment. As you come into college, the importance of your GPA has been pounded into your head throughout high school. Don’t do that. Don’t focus on your GPA. Focus on your assignments. If you do all your homework, papers, and projects and center your attention on the class and its essential learning value, the good grades will naturally come along and so will that high GPA.
As they’re choosing college courses, students tend to get overwhelmed by all the options. There are a multitude of different courses that are aimed to your specific interests. Even though that is great, do not pick classes based on interest and what ‘might seem good’. Choose classes based on the professor. The professor can change everything about the class; they can even change your mind about your own personal interests. If you have a professor who is passionate about what they teach and really engages with the students, they can turn a neutral subject that may normally be boring into a matter of joy. I have witnessed this first hand. As I picked classes for the first time, I chose some that were exploring topics I enjoyed in high school. I quickly learned that if you have a professor who isn’t enthusiastic about teaching the course, your mindset will quickly change and it will be hard to learn or even attend class.
Which brings me to the next tip: Always go to class. Most people who are in college will tell you the exact same thing. Unlike high school, there is no punishment for not attending class. It is therefore extremely easy to abuse this freedom, and even make a habit out of it. If you don’t attend class it will be tough to attain success in college. Plus you pay a lot for the classes you choose, so don’t waste that money!
Although these tips seem quite simplistic, they really do work. Transitioning into college is difficult, but these tips will make that transition easier. If you can be prosperous your freshman year and not overwhelmed by all the other distractions that are presented to you, good grades and success will simply come to you. The rest of the tips from the article are attached in the link below, so read it to learn more secrets that will lead you to be a successful college student!
Click Here for the link to the articles.
Tara K.