It can be very excitiing to go away to college, and scary at the same time. Some people learn more life skills in college than academic information. It can be difficult to have a life and make good grades.
Be sure and stock yourself with enough toiletries before starting college. You will use a lot of these items and can run out if you do not have enough on hand. Shop around for good deals by buying in bulk from outlet stores when possible.
Be prompt when you are applying for grants or scholarships. When you take more time to find money for college, you won’t need to borrow as much. Get your applications in on time.
Before beginning classes, walk through campus and figure out where you will need to be. Try and figure out how long it’ll take for you to get to each class, and use that to plan accordingly. You should also find other critical locations and plot them on a map.
Before you make your final decision on which college to attend, thoroughly research your intended major and career choice. This can help you determine if a certain college has the necessary courses to get your degree. Discuss this with your admissions counselor to make sure that the college offers the courses that you need.
Always visit the college’s admission office to familiarize yourself with it before enrolling. This way you can explore whether the school sponsors scholarships you may qualify for. Most colleges have scholarships available. If you go to the admissisons and meet with a rep you can find out if you can get extra help.
Locate the gym on campus and make regular visits there or just take a daily walk and explore the campus. There are many people to meet up with to walk with or workout with. When you find people to work out with, it’ll be even more fun.
If you’re taking exams, don’t skip breakfast. Even something small like a yogurt or apple can help. Feeling hungry might keep you from performing well on a test. Eating a good breakfast will prevent you from feeling hungry, boost your energy levels and help you to maintain focus during your test.
Try taking a single general education class in your first semester to get it over with. Often students are faced with classes that are needed for graduation, yet do not want to take them. This makes it important to get it finished sooner than later. Moreover, in four years you don’t want to find yourself the sole senior in a classroom of only freshmen.
To save time and money, try taking the bus to campus. It might not take longer using the bus. You will not have to worry about a parking spot or have to pay for parking if that is the case. You will also save yourself money on both gas and parking passes. Using public transportation is also a more environmentally friendly option.
If you are coming from another state or plan on living on campus, think about whether you want to have your car with you. Parking could be an issue if you are living in the city. There are expenses that are involved with maintaining a car, and due to your studies, it might not even be affordable to have one.
High school reputations mean little in college. College is much different than high school. You may have been a jock or a genius before, but no one at college knows who you were or cares about it. Make that effort to the extra mile that you didn’t have to travel in high school, because the expectations in college are a whole level above what you have previously experienced.
While you are in college, look for an internship. Internships give you a chance to get real world experience and to get an idea of what a job would be like when you graduate. If you do well, it is possible to end up with a job offer after college. Ask about internships at your school.
Take a lot of electives. If you learn as much as you can, you might be able to find out that you have a new interest. You can experiment in your freshman year and try out classes to see how they fit your interests. It is good time to explore new things.
Make good use of your campus library. You will be amazed at all of the resources that are available to you. Familiarize yourself with the librarian so you will have someone to ask about books you may need for classes. Libraries can also prove useful in saving you money on required reading.
The night before major tests, review your class notes and read over the textbook material just before bedtime. Doing this can help your brain digest this material while you sleep. During sleep, the brain assists by building certain contextual links between the pieces of information, thus helping it make more sense the following morning.
The advice here will help you keep your college life in check. Use these tips and your college experience will be an enjoyable one.