How to Survive College

1) Buy a planner and/or a calendar!!!

These are two life savers when trying to balance college, work, and a social life. Some people like to just go with the flow, but sometimes that method doesn’t bring success. When you’ve got five to seven exams and homework assignments on top of studying for those exams, you will then be so grateful that you’re organized. Let’s not forget your work schedule on top of the college studies.

2) Sleep

Sleep and sleep well. Do not try to study all night and then accidentally sleep through your classes the next day because now, not only have you not obtained the majority of what you were trying to learn while sleep deprived, but you’ve managed to miss a whole day's worth of learning! Not to mention you pay for the classes, don’t waste your money folks. If you aren’t getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night, chances are you aren’t learning much of what you’re trying to study and you simply cannot focus to be productive. Do yourself a favor ahead of time and buy some melatonin and get a good night's sleep.

3) Next, you’ll want to reflect on your study space.

Most people avoid studying in their room because it’s generally a place where you’ll be too comfortable and you simply won’t focus. Try to find a space that’s plain so you won’t get distracted but comfortable enough to sit a few hours. I often suggest people find an empty classroom, go to the library, or even try a local cafe. Most college libraries actually even have the option to book a study room so you can have a room to yourself to focus.

4) Find your learning style.

You’ll want to know how you learn best coming into college or at least figure it out exceptionally quickly. There are three main learning styles. Active, visual and auditory. I myself prefer a mix of visual and active, considering I find it hard to simply learn from listening. However, sometimes people learn things better when they can hear it. It’s unique for each individual. Once you find your learning style you’ll want to choose techniques that are effective for you. By this I mean you should explore the different techniques for note taking, reading and studying to make sure you are obtaining the correct amount of information. For example, some people take notes better outline style and some prefer different graphs, some people do better studying in groups while others simply focus better with independent studies.

5) Next, you’ll want to learn about all of your resources and how to utilize them.

Most colleges will have free tutoring centers, English workshops, mock interview centers, online databases and professors will have office hours along with their teaching assistants. Tutoring centers are the best way to start off, especially if you have a hard time with math courses. Having a tutor to help you stay caught up every week can be the difference between passing and failing a course. If you struggle with finding credible sources for papers, your school's online database may have exactly what you need. Most schools often have workshops to help improve papers and presentations as well as centers that will help you succeed in future interviews. One of the best resources however, is going to those who teach you. Your professors and teaching assistants are almost always happy to see you and help with any problems and misunderstandings you may have, as well as give advice on how to improve your skills. The closer you get to them the better. Then, when you ask them to write you a recommendation, they are more than happy to do so and make you look amazing while doing it.

I hope this guide to managing college helps!