Staying on task and keeping up with work is one of the most important things you have to do in college. Unfortunately, we hear about students falling behind, not knowing there was a test that week, and skipping class. Luckily for you, I have some tips on being successful, busy, and staying on top of work in college!
- Get a planner!
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A planner will SAVE you in college. I have a planner that has a big page for a monthly calendar and spaces in the following pages for weeks. Before I leave a class, I always write down what homework is due next and the day it is due. I also write in my planner when I have work, meetings, tests, quizzes, and club events. My planner also works to help me when I need to findtime to do laundry, dishes, spend time with friends, and also some self-care.
- Read and Highlight your Syllabus…
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This is so important. Go through your syllabi for all of your classes, print them out, and grab a highlighter! I highlight my professors’ emails and their office hours. Then I look at how my grade is calculated; how much does attendance count? How heavy are my test grades? And more! Finally, I go through and I look at the homework, when are big assignments due and if there is homework due every week? Use your syllabi, they could save your grade!
- Go to Teaching Assistant Hours and study sessions!
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TA’s are there to help! If you have questions that you didn’t think of in class, or are struggling with a problem or an essay, then go see them! TA’s have taken the course and know what to expect in assignments and tests. Study sessions also help, students can offer how they remembered equations or how they are studying for the test. College is a lot of teamwork, don’t be afraid to ask for help!
- Go to class!
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Even if attendance is not counted into your grade, go to class! There is so much you can learn from a class that you can’t in the textbook. Going to class and getting to know your professors is so important; it can earn you a recommendation letter or just make that difference between an A- and an A.
- Don’t overpack your schedule
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There are always people who want to stay super busy, don’t make yourself so busy that you feel like you’re falling apart. Keep your space clean, eat right, and take time for yourself. Planners help keep your thoughts organized and keep you on track to do those things.
As a student who is in clubs, has a job, and is taking too many credits for her own good, these tips have kept me on track. I hope they work for you too! Remember that you can do anything you put your mind too, it all depends on the work you put in!
xoxo!