Essay

The jump from high school to college is an important one. It can be challenging, stressful and fun all at the same time. There are several things you must focus on to survive the college experience. We all want to do well in college, but at the same time we want to have the "time of our lives" and for most people that does not mean schoolwork. I look at college a little bit like being in a sport. The sport is supposed to be fun and at the same time is competitive. It will be fun no matter what the outcome is, but most people will find it is much more enjoyable if you win. That same mentality can translate into school. Sure it will be fun whether your grades are high or low, but you will enjoy college much more if your carrying around that 4.0 gpa. Afterall if you don't, then all the fun you are having at college could be cut short because of grades. With all of this in mind there are three important things that you as a student should know going into your freshman year.
The main thing that any freshman entering college will need to learn is time management. Any college student can tell you how important this is. For me time management has never been an issue because in high school i went to class, did what i needed to get done while i was there and then after school i wouldn't spend much time studying. There was the occassional cram session the night before a test, but for the most part i was interested in having fun and not worrying about school. This attitude will not work in college. The fact that you have so little class time in a week leaves you with more free time than you could ever imagine in high school. Here is where discipline and time management come into play. For every hour of class you have a week, you should spend about two hours studying for that class. Now if you find that in one class you don't need that much time then you can take the extra time and use it towards another class that you might be struggling a little more in. If you get a routine and get in the habit of studying then it will just come naturally to you. When you are done with your work go out and have fun. Reward yourself for all the hard work you have done. The best way to manage your time is to write out a schedule each day of what you need and want to accomplish. So you know exactly what you need to do. You can even map out the exact times you will spend on each activity. Make sure you map out the times realistically though. If the schedule times aren't realistic then there is no point in making the schedule in the first place.
Finding a spot to study in my mind is extremely important for success. If you think that studying in your dorm is going to be fine, think again. The dorm is not the right place for many reasons. It could be the annoying roommate, the distracting t.v., the loud neighbors, or just that comfortable bed that will lull you to sleep faster than you can blink. The first night I was here in my dorm I was trying to read a book, but all i could concentrate on was the loud talking and music that was being played throughout my dorm. All of the noise and distractions make it very hard to focus. The key is to find a quiet place where you are comfortable studying and can get away from all of the external distractions. Maybe the top floor of the library next to a window or underneath a tree in a park. As long as you have a place where you can concentrate fully on your books you will be in good shape. One of the things you want to watch out for though is finding a spot that is too comfortable because then you might fall asleep. Sleeping during the study time is not going to improve your grades. Once you have found your spot you should visit it everyday, even if you dont have much to study or do that day. This will get you in the routine of going there and having that time everyday.
One of the most important things to do as a freshman in college for me is to set goals. If you set goals then that really gives you motivation to do what needs to be done in the classroom. A person can have many goals. Short term goals are goals that maybe you want to achieve in a given day, week, or month. These are goals like finishing your homework or even cleaning your room. Long Term goals are things like graduating or maintaining a certain gpa. Goals build confidence and confidence leads to success. The best way to go about setting goals is to write them down on a sheet of paper. This way you will be reminded each time you look at them what you need to be focused on. Another way to achieve your goals is to write down steps to reaching your ultimate goal. These steps will put your goal in perspective. Another thing that will help you reach your goals is turning negative into positive. What I mean by this is that if you've had a very bad day and you just feel negative, try to point out the positive and focus on that. Something positive comes out of every situation. Most importantly reward yourself for achieving your goals. It doesnt have to be something big, maybe just take a day to play a sport your love or treat yourself to a movie. Anything that you enjoy should be done to celebrate your achievements.
College is a good time. Your out living on your own for the first time, going through many situations in which you have never been in before. It can be exciting and stressful. Surviving college isnt rocket science. It is a big transition in your life and will help mold you as a person. You know what you want to accomplish and it is up to you to do so.