I start my junior year of college next week and I’m so excited! After a rough sophomore year, I’m looking forward to starting over with a new semester and a new mindset. Since I’ve been away at college for the past two years, I like to think I’ve grown as a person and got a little wiser on how to survive on my own. Today I am sharing my advice for college and how you can make the best of it.
ALWAYS go to class and be on time: I cannot stress this enough. GO TO CLASS. I have never been slightly late much less skipped a class in my whole (University) college career. (Ok, there was this one time I slept through an alarm during a summer class, but I still went even though I was 30 minutes late.) Each class you skip could be wasting upwards of $100 of your tuition, which will add up tremendously over time. It’s totally not worth the extra hour of sleep, especially if this is a required class for your major. Your professors also notice how punctual you are when you meet with them. They could either notice how you’re always on time and prepared, or how you’re always absent or late and disruptive to their lecture.
Talk with your professors and advisors: I find it to be extremely beneficial to talk with your professors, whether you are doing well in the class or not. Going up to their office and meeting with them regularly shows that you truly care about your learning experience in their class, which might end up getting you some bonus point a the end of he semester. You also might need a letter of recommendation from your professors one day for a job interview or maybe a medical school application (lol, me). As someone who hates taking on the phone to others and sometimes gets hives when I talk to strangers, trust me when I say talking to your professors is not as scary as its seems. Your prof might seem really intimidating in a lecture room full of people, but when you’re sitting right next to them in their office, they could end up being your favorite teacher once you talk to them.
Have adequate school supplies: We all know here how much I love everything to be organized and as aesthetically pleasing as possible, so it should come as no surprise that I love getting new school supplies. I have a different color notebook , a coordinating highlighter, and a set a sticky notes for each class. Preparation for your classes are a (DJ Khaled voice) “major key” to organization and success in college. I also religiously use an agenda to plan out my weeks. Being organized will make it so much easier to study for exams and do homework when you know where all of your notes are so you don’t have to waste time to find them and get them in order.
Textbooks are not always necessary to pass a class: I have honestly wasted so much money on buying or renting textbooks that I didn’t use. If you think you need a book for a class, I would recommend not buying it before the first class day. Your professor is required to have a textbook listed on their syllabus just like they have to list all of the university policies every year. Wait until they go over the syllabus to see if they require it for homework or a lab, and then rent it. Renting from your campus bookstore, a local bookstore, or online is SO much cheaper than buying a book you might use to refer to a chart or definition once. This was especially true for me in my U.S. history and political science classes; I didn’t get a textbook for history, made an A, I rented the textbook for poli sci, used it once, also made an A. It’s important to know how you study and learn information best so you don’t end up wasting your time and money, which are both valuable in college.
Spend your money wisely, save as much as you can: (This also can be related to my last point, regarding spending money on textbooks.) To save money in college, you shouldn’t spend your money on stupid things like that second cup of Starbucks for the day, or the $20 club t-shirt you might wear twice to meetings. Maybe you and your friends will want to go on a road trip or to a concert, or you might get the opportunity to go on a mission trip, and you can’t go unless you have the money to pay for those experiences. I’d personally rather have money to go on a trip and make memories than spend it on something so trivial. To track your spending, write down all of your expenses in a check book register and make a budget for what you should spend money on that month. This doesn’t mean I don’t think you should treat yourself to something nice every once in a while, I just think it’s best to not spoil yourself all the time. Reward yourself for working hard, not for getting through the tasks you were expected to complete.
Don’t procrastinate on homework and studying: I’ve mentioned this before when I wrote about finals, but it’s important to remember that you need to prioritize your time. It might be fun to go out with friends every other night of the week, but it won’t be fun when you have to cram for tests and rush to do your homework. When you get an assignment, start it right away so you don’t forget about it and try to turn it in early. When studying for tests, take small breaks and switch around to another subject after a while. Just know your limit to your attention span and distractions. If you can’t focus at a coffee shop because it’s too crowded or loud, go to a quiet park or the library. If your friends are visiting you in your dorm, kick them out and tell them to go study too.
Work hard during the week, relax on weekends: I like it when people say to treat college as a 9 to 5 job, because it makes a lot of sense. If you work hard during the week studying and doing homework, you can rest and enjoy yourself for a couple days to re-charge for the next week.
Make lots of new friends: I really wish I knew this when I first started school two years ago, because I really regret not making lots of friends. I will admit that I am pretty shy around people, but once I’m around a group regularly, I open up more and become more friendly. If you have trouble making friends like me, try making it a goal to find one friend in each class that you can talk to about the material, homework, or lab so you don’t feel so alone.
Go to parties, but be responsible: I personally like to go to parties so I can tell stories about the crazy things that happen to my friends. I also don’t drink at parties so I can actually remember what happens and so I don’t get into any trouble. You never know what could happen when you’re out with a bunch of college aged drunk people, so I find it best to stay alert and to watch out for others. I carry around a water bottle with me at parties so people don’t pester me about if I want to drink, but it also keeps me hydrated. Some of the craziest stories I have are from parties, like the time it started hailing and there was a tornado warning, and the time Mitchell Musso (Oliver from Hannah Montana) was at a Halloween party I was at. It’s also fun to remember the fun times you had with your friends, even if they can’t. (P.S. I’m not your mom or a judge or anything, but just remember it’s illegal to drink in the US if you’re under 21).
Learn to be a leader and a follower: This became clear to me when I got more involved in clubs and organizations that required group work and cooperation. I think it’s important to speak up for yourself, but also let someone else speak up about what they know, especially if they are an assigned leader or officer for that group. This can also mean that you should be a good representation of your organization by following its rules and setting a good example for others to follow.
Become a good listener: This could mostly be applied to friends and family, but you should also use this for school too. I think it’s important in this part of your life to really get to know people, not just their name and major. Get to know your friends favorite colors, their hobbies, and what they want to accomplish in life. It will give you a deeper understanding of that person and will also strengthen your friendship with them. When you go home to your family, don’t just complain about your classes, don’t talk too much about the wild party you went to, ask about what they have been up to since you’ve left.
Communicate with roommates and friends: Communication is important in any type of relationship, especially with the people you hang out the most with. Set boundaries and make rules with your roommate for your dorm room so conflicts don’t arise later in the semester. Tell your friends the days you need to study or the days you want to hang out. Talking with each other about what you expect from the other person will help your relationship stay civil when you encounter a problem. Let your roommate know that you don’t appreciate her using your eyeshadow without your permission or you don’t like how she turned the thermostat down to 40 degrees while you were asleep (true story). Let your friends know that you have a test to study for if they want to go out, or let them know if you feel uncomfortable at a party and you want to go home. Also communicate with them the things you’re excited about. Let them know you made an A on the test you were worried about, let them know you just joined a club and you love it, maybe they will join with you. College is the time to make lasting friends, so don’t let the friendships you do make suffer and die out from a lack of communication.
Work very hard at the beginning of the semester: Some students, myself included, feel that the beginning of the semester is the easiest because the workload of your classes isn’t much because your prof is still trying to learn your names. One of my goals for this semester is to try my very best in each of my classes to establish a strong grade at the beginning of the course. Nothing in college sucks worse than struggling at the end of the semester to pass a class, when you know it will wreck your GPA if you don’t get those credit hours.
Create study groups with people in your classes: I just figured this out at the end of this past spring when I was studying with a group for my Genetics final. I remembered so much more on my exam because the friends I made from class were able to teach me new ways to remember the material. Once you have a group together, make studying fun by meeting at a coffee shop, the park, or someone’s apartment and have a little study party. Just remember to stay on task after you’ve shown everyone the cute puppy video you saw on twitter (;
Utilize online study tools: I will hopefully get to writing a more in-depth post about this soon, but for now, listen up. There are countless ways you can use technology to your advantage in school. My favorite ways to review a subject is by watching Crash Course videos made by John and Hank Green (my favorite people). I’m always so surprised by how many people don’t know about their videos, they’re really great. Khan Academy also has great videos that are narrowed down by subject, then topic, then concept so you can review more in detail. I have also made Kahoot quizzes for myself and group study sessions. I have only used Quizlet once or twice for vocabulary, but I still like it.
Joins clubs and organizations: Joining a club is a great way to make friends and find people who have the same interests as you. Campus organizations can range from a local to national level and can serve as a great networking opportunity for your future career. I am involved in AMSA (American Medical Student Association) for Pre-Health students, where I will be the Secretary for the 2016-2017 school year. I am also going to be a leader for my campus’s Alternative Breaks service organization. I have made lots of new friends getting involved in these organizations and they have been a great way to get out of my comfort zone.
Volunteer as much as possible: Once you’ve joined an organization or two, a great way to get more involved in it is to volunteer with your group when they host events. Within AMSA, we have volunteered at the local homeless shelter by organizing and cooking food. Within Alternative Breaks, we have done restoration work at a historical site in town and also volunteered the weekend we went on our trip. Getting lots of volunteer hours does not go unnoticed within a University; if you document your hours properly you can get awarded at the end of the year, or you could even receive a scholarship for your service. Employers and admissions counsels for professional schools are looking for people who show they are interested in helping their community, which might get you that interview you need to start your career.
I hope this (ridiculously long) list of advice is helpful and I really enjoyed writing it. If you have any other questions about college, be sure to comment below and I might write a post about it!
Thanks for reading! Good luck this semester!
the pre-med prep 