Photo credit to: Center for Shared Services
1. Read the Syllabus
It may seem like a waste of time, but college professors don’t care if you labeled your homework wrong or forgot one of the steps in turning your online essay in, they just expect you to know what you’re doing. Reading the syllabus at the beginning of the semester will save you so much trouble later on.
2. Sometimes you have to Say No
When it’s Thursday and your friends all want to go out, but you have an 8:30 a.m. class on Friday, it’s probably a better idea to stay in and get your necessary sleep. There will be other times to hang out with your friends, and most of the time, they’ll respect you for putting school first.
3. Stereotypes are Sometimes Accurate
Every group on campus has a stereotype about them, and depending on who you ask, it can be good and bad. And they’re almost always applicable to at least the majority of the group.
4. …but they also don’t really matter
The stereotypes may all be true, but no one really cares in college, either. There are no longer popular people and unpopular people. Sure, there are people in Greek life, and people who are really involved in student government, there are lots of clubs for every major, but no one group is considered better than others. Campus is too big for that! Everyone gets involved in what they want to be involved in, not what makes them cool.
5. Dressing to Impress…..or getting 30 extra minutes of sleep?
In high school, dressing in cute outfits was a regular thing, but in college you see more norts and frat tanks than anything else. So, which one is better? It all really depends. There really isn’t a standard way to dress in college. I see a lot of leggings and Greek letters when I walk around, but I also see a lot of jeans and cute tops. It’s a matter of preference.
6. Save your Money, Seriously!
You know that saying, “Live like a college student while you’re in college, so that you don’t have to when you graduate”? It’s true, very true! You may not think you need to save money, but chances are you’ll have a lot of loans to pay back once you graduate, and you also want money to use to start your life. So, save when you can, so that you can still go on those cool spring break trips and to those concerts with your friends.
7. Don’t Always take the Easy way out
Sometimes you have to take a class with that professor you don’t like, or you have to sacrifice your free time in order to join a new club, but in the end, those things will be worth it. So, don’t feel bad about it, just embrace it. That professor may teach you the most important things ever, or that club may be the reason you get a job right out of college.
8. Get Some Sleep
Sleeping is a lot more important than some people think it is. You need sleep to function properly, and it may not always be easy to get your recommended sleep, but it should be doable most of the time. So, instead of staying up all night watching Netflix, you should definitely sleep instead.
9. Support Your Team!
While most people know to support the football team at games or by watching on TV, they forget about the other sports on campus. There’s a plethora of student athletes on campus, and they all work just as hard as the football team, so you should cheer for them when you can. Their games may not always be as convenient as Saturday football games, but you should find the ones that are.
10. Your Education is the Most Important Thing
My mom tells me this all the time, and she has a really good point. College is a great time filled with making friends and memories, sports, spring breaks and independence, but it’s also where you learn in order to get a degree. Those others things are secondary to graduating, and it’s extremely important to remember that!