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5 Mistakes not to make in the spring semester

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SMU chapter.

When you started college, you were young and naïve, bound to make a few mistakes. But you lived and you learned, and now you can look back knowing that there are a few mistakes that you never want to make again. Here are a few of the top mistakes to leave in the past as you move forward to make some better decisions.

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1. Not going to class: We all know the ultimate struggle it is to get up in the morning. You lay in bed trying to come up with legitimate excuses to sleep longer (admit it—we’ve all avoided going somewhere simply because the walk would be too long or cold) and eventually you decide you just won’t go! One absence won’t matter… until they start to pile up. Soon enough the final is approaching and you’re missing notes and valuable info. Don’t get sucked into the trap. Drag your butt out of bed and get to class, no matter how much it sucks. While a few absences are okay, you should definitely be going to learn, and saving those prized absences for emergencies.

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2. Going out when you have work: You have five chapters to read, a professor to email, two papers to write, and a test to study for. But… then your friend asks you to go out… and that’s much more fun… Well, future you is kicking you and cursing your name as she stays up all night, hyped up on Redbull trying to finish everything. Knowing how to prioritize is a sign of being a responsible adult. So as hard as it might be, spend a few nights in catching up on your work. It’ll make it so that when you can go out, you can go out entirely stress free.

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3. Getting too drunk: You went out one night, entirely naïve of what your limits were or what to say no to. “A jaeger bomb? What’s that? I’ll have one!” Next thing you know you’re in the bathroom puking while your saintly best friend holds your hair back and the questionable guy you had wanted to hook up with keeps popping his head in to ask if you’re okay. It might have been fun once, but once you know your limits, it’s important to keep to them. No one wants to have to take care of the super drunk girl, and it can lead you into some dangerous situations. Try to know when you ought to say no.

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4. Not doing your work: You’re doing all your work, going to all your classes, and things are, well… easy. So, you start to push off your reading. You skip a class here and there. And then suddenly…you’re failing. How did this happen?!? If a class is easy when you’re doing the work, it’s probably because you’re doing the work. So don’t stop—keep up the hard work. It might be hard, but your GPA will thank you.

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5. Hooking up with random classmates: On day one, you spot a cute guy in your class. On day two, you move to sit right next to him. On day three, you flirt with him and get his number. That weekend, you hook up, and the morning after… well, things go south. But now, the damage is done, and every class for the rest of the semester, you’ll have to see him and be smothered by the awkwardness. This semester, use some caution. If you know you’ll be seeing a lot of a guy, think long and hard about if it’s worth it to hook up, knowing the potential awkwardness involved. And if it isn’t worth it– don’t do him. There are plenty of other fish in the sea.

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Sydney Fellner is a junior at Southern Methodist University studying art history and arts management, aiming for a career in event planning. A Dallas native, Sydney loves green tea, glitter, and napping. Her most notable accomplishment is watching a video of pugs acting out Beauty and the Beast fifty times in a row. She cried at least half of those times. Instagram: @sydneyfellner
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