Once again, school has successfully sneaked its little nubby head back into our view, and we are somehow already amid a new semester full of new classes, new schedules and new exams to stress over. We have also probably placed unrealistic pressure on ourselves since the new year began to really get serious about working on that model body we’ve always wanted, even though we refuse to give up our mostly pizza-based diet. We have probably posted on our various Facebook pages asking if we “need” the required textbook for a class, even though we already knew we had no intentions of paying $175 for a general education credit’s book.
Quite honestly, we do all of these things that just set ourselves up for imminent failure. The important thing to remember when setting realistic goals is that goals are meant to lift us up, inspire us and make us feel like we have really accomplished a feat. We probably won’t ever become the Victoria’s Secret Angels we may dream of looking like, but we can more realistically help ourselves become the professionals we dream of being like. After all, college is a place to learn, grow and develop, but most importantly it is a place to equip us with the education that will enable us to find the passion that will become a career. Here are seven tips to secure the perfect GPA that you (and your parents) have always dreamed of this semester.
1. Buy/rent your textbooks for all of your classes: Yes, even though your friend who got a C in MAK100 College Algebra for Liberal Kittens of the Arts swears that you don’t need the textbook, she is not the person you should be taking academic advice from. If your professor deems the textbook necessary for ultimate success in the course, then you should probably listen to the person who is actually writing the exams for the class. Duh.
2. Actually go to class… not hungover: No one achieved all of their life’s dreams by barely avoiding puking all over themselves at 9 a.m. because they had one too many last night. You won’t win a Nobel Peace Prize with vodka on your breath, you won’t get into Harvard Law by sleeping in until 2 p.m. most weekdays, and you won’t ever revolutionize the world if you have never even showed up to half of it. Get rid of your FOMO (the same thing happens at every party and every bar; you’re not missing out on much besides regret), and stay in on nights before you have class. It will pay off in productivity and accomplishment.
3. Find friends who also take school seriously: Let’s be honest, there are plenty of students enrolled in college for the wrong reasons. There are those who are here to meet their husband and snatch that ring by spring, and there are those who care more about their fraternity than their future career. Surround yourself with people who will wake up early on weekends to go to Starbucks and study. Stick with friends who tell you not to go out even when you really, really want to because they know you have an exam tomorrow and friends who will celebrate your accomplishments instead of belittling them.
4. Limit your Snapchat usage: Nothing will make you feel like you’re missing out more than sitting at the library while watching everybody else post blurry loud videos of them out and about. Post a selfie of you drowning in your homework, make some people who know they should be doing school work and aren’t feel bad about themselves and close the app.
5. Work on all of your classes a little bit each day: Even if you don’t necessarily have any quiz to take or assignment to work on, skim over your notes, the class PowerPoints and the class textbook a little each day or work ahead to be better prepared for your next class. The more you familiarize yourself with the information on a regular basis, the more you will retain the knowledge and the less you’ll have to cram before exams.
6. Go to bed early and wake up early: Going to bed early will ensure you get a full night’s rest and will allow your body to wind down so your mind isn’t running through every event of the day for hours as you lay in bed. Wake up early and start your day because not only will you get more done, but you will also have even more hours and opportunities to work on your schoolwork, to get ahead and to even set aside some time to relax.
7. Set a true goal for yourself: Not everybody needs to achieve a 4.0 GPA to feel proud of their grades, so set a goal that drives you to be your best. If competitive graduate school is what you are working toward one day, let this motivate you to give every class your all, including the silly ones. If gaining the most knowledge possible out of your college experience is your goal, then let that drive you to pick up that book, read that article and do that outside research because knowledge is power and power opens up opportunity.
Life is not all about numbers. The number in your bank account, the number on the scale and the number on your degree audit does not by any means define you. But education is vital to success, and since you are voluntarily taking classes here for the next four years, why not aim to get that number of A’s to its highest potential? Sure, C’s get degrees, but A’s get the hoorays!
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