Nine Tips For a Successful College Experience
Posted: July 07, 2018 | Author: Southern Utah University | Read Time: 4 minutes
Having a successful college experience looks different for every person. For some they want to make friends and go on crazy adventures while for others it’s discovering who they are while also getting the best grades possible.
When asked what she did to be successful at SUU, economics major Taylor Leavitt said, “My friends and family were the biggest part of my survival through college. They grounded me to continue with my studies but also knew when it was time for me to take a break.”
No matter what you are striving to accomplish here are nine tips on creating your successful college experience:
Utilize the Syllabi
The syllabus you receive for each class is filled with great information about your role and expectations, grade breakdown, deadlines and the professor’s office hours. They are filled with all the information you need to stay organized for each class. Make sure to keep all of your syllabi in one easy-to-remember spot so you can always refer to it throughout the semester.
Create Stellar Study Groups
Study groups are an excellent way make friends and also do well in your classes. When forming a study group be sure to include people who understand the material better than you and those who don’t understand it as well as you. That way you are getting the help you need, but you can also help others. Study groups also do not have to be all work, buy a pizza to share with everyone, and have some fun!
Get Involved
If you want to make friends and memories while at college then be sure to join a club, hop on an intramural sports team, or participate in a leadership organization. Discover what you love to do and find others who share your passion. You will make the best of friends in no time and the fun adventures and experience will follow right after.
Stay Motivated
Each person will face their own ups and downs while at college. You may fail a test or miss out on an exciting trip - but don’t get discouraged. This is the time to push through the not-so-fun parts so you can graduate with a degree and pursue a career you will love. Whenever you are feeling tired or unmotivated simply remember what you have accomplished so far, the goals that you have, and surround yourself with friends. You can do it!
Make a Calendar
Coordinate a place where you can mark down all of your deadlines, important meetings, and big events. Use this new tool to create times when you can do homework, and when you can go on trips. Preparing a schedule for the semester will help you stay on organized throughout the semester. You will be less stressed about completing important tasks and cramming for a test at the last minute and having to memorize your whole schedule.
Don't Procrastinate
It is easy to push off assignments and projects but, it will only stress you out more in the long run. Your work from your various classes will pile up and then you'll be cranking out assignments all in a short period of time and you might not be able to submit your best work. Take time to accomplish a few assignments or write out a few paragraphs for a research paper a day. Tackling work as you go instead of letting it accumulate will help you avoid unnecessary stress.
Work Hard & Play Hard
Working hard at your studies is vital to being successful in college but so is taking time to do things for you. While at college, say yes to that spontaneous weekend trip to the great outdoors, treat yourself to a spa day, or play games at your friends house. It isn’t a bad thing to give yourself a nice long break, so go experience the fun side of college.
Go to Classes
Attending all of your classes is a great way to be successful If you don't go to your classes, you might miss something and then you won't understand your homework and then you'll put it off and then you'll hate yourself when you still have to do it and you still don't understand it. You especially don't want to skip the last month because that's most likely what your final will be on.
Use Your Resources
There will be times when you will need a little bit of assistance to move through a learning curve or understand the course material. On SUU’s campus, there are several resources that you may utilize so you can be as successful as possible in your college experience. If you need some guidance writing paper, check out the Writing Center, if you need more one-on-one help with specific courses, head over to the Tutoring Center, or maybe you need help collecting resources for a paper, the Library can be a great place to get started.
Whether you are looking to make the most friends or the best grades you will be able to accomplish it with no small amount of courage and dedication.
This article was published more than 5 years ago and might contain outdated information or broken links. As a result, its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
Tags: Student Blog Campus Resources
