How To Suceed In College

You may be in High School, planning to go to college in a couple years, or you could be happily married, already employed and looking to further your education. Whatever the case is...college can be difficult. Let's face it, nothing comes easy. Therefore, I have conducted a list of things to help you succeed in what is basically a necessity in today's society.

1. Plan ahead. Don't wait around deciding what school you are going to go to. Look on websites and go visit the college campus to determine where the best fit for you is. Then, find out if the cost of the college is in your price range. College is very expensive. You don't want to end up with too much debt by the end of it. Find out if you are going to have to live on campus or going to have to commute. Transportation must also be in your thoughts when determining the college you are going to attend.
2. Determine your major. Don't go into school not knowing what you want to do. If you are in your first couple years of college it is okay to not know, but after the first two years your general education classes are going to most likely be finished. You don't want to waste your money of classes that you won't end up needing to graduate. So this is kind of a plan ahead moment as well. Being prepared and knowing what you want for your future is very important.
3. Participate in as many things as you can. Colleges have so many opportunities for students. You just have to be aware of them and take advantage of these things. The more extra curriculars you have by the time you graduate, the better your resume will look. When you join a group, try to also hold a position. Being the Vice President of Journalism Club looks much better then just being a member because this shows that you are a leader. These are the kind of people that companies look for. Also, the more things you participate in, the more people you get to know. Every person you meet becomes a connection. Especially the people you are going to school with. These are the same people that are going to be competing for the jobs you want. Keeping good contacts with these people you meet, and your professors, will be very beneficial down the road.
4. Don't procrastinate. This is a very big mistake that college students do. College is different from High School in the way that you do a lot of assignments that will end up calculating your final grade. College is very different. Every class period is a lecture and your homework is out of class reading of the textbook. You may get assignments, but they are for your own practice and most likely won't be graded. You grade is mainly made up of two tests, your midterm and your final. Writing classes are a little different. You will get a few very large writing assignments throughout the semester. Many of these papers are up to ten pages long. If you wait to write a paper like this until the night before, you will end up with work that is not your best because you had to rush through it. You also might find yourself pulling an all-nighter (staying up all night). This will lead to you being very sleepy and pretty much worthless the next day. You may even find yourself too tired to go to class and turn that ten page paper in.
5. Be healthy. Many people end up gaining the freshman 15. This is due to staying up late, partying, binge drinking, eating unhealthy things because you're on a tight budget, and not exercising. All of this leads to you not feeling good. When you don't feel good you don't end up going to class and you become lethargic. This kind of behavior makes you feel awful and can sometimes lead to depression. If you keep the same kind of behaviors you had before college then you will be fine. If you sucker into these bad behaviors then you will end up failing classes and just feeling bad. So remember to eat healthy, exercise regularly, and go to bed at a decent hour. Also, partying in college can be tempting, but you must limit this. If you do decide to go out one night, don't do this on a night when you have class in the morning. Don't do this instead of doing your homework either. You are only setting yourself up to fail.
6. Use your resources. Many advisers and councilors are there to help you. That is their job. So determine who your adviser is and go talk to them. They will help you schedule your classes and make sure you are on the right path toward graduation. You may have missed a class that you are required to take and they can let you know this before it is too late, and you end up having to stay an extra semester for that one class. As well as seeing your adviser I suggest you get an audit. Doing one of these your junior year and then another your senior year will help tremendously. These tell you want classes you have taken and how many more you will need to graduate. They will also give you the date in which you will be able to graduate. Another resource that many people fail to use is their career services. These individuals will be able to help you find job opportunities throughout college and after college. After all, that is why we are going to college anyway, to find a job! So find out where these resources are at your school and use them!