College = Freedom.
The freedom (for many) of being out from under your parent’s wing for the very first time. Exciting! and maybe a little bit scary? But with your new found freedom you’ve recently discovered, I’m sure you’ve come to the realization that you basically have free reign to do whatever you want–within reason of course!
But also, college = responsibility.
The biggest struggle for many new college freshman is perfecting the dreadful skill of time management. It is often a common mentality to drop or withdraw from multiple classes, not turn in assignments, or skip class because you simply don’t feel like it.
But there’s one thing people won’t tell you about your freshman year.
It is THE most important year of your college career! Many of you are probably saying, “nah, no way, it’s all about having fun!” So, why is it so important? Well, kick back and let me tell ya.
There is truth in needing to get out and have fun, but if all you do is skip class, fail to turn in assignments or withdraw from a course, it is eventually going to add up and you are unfortunately going to be paying for it later. Yeah, truth hurts.
source.You now are juggling an exciting social life, getting to class on time, working with people from all walks of life, learning to interpret foreign college professors, making time for homework + the longest papers you will ever write in your life, taking on part-time jobs + internships, and exploring all the new things that come with being a college freshman in a new city.
So, those freshman level grades ARE important to your GPA, and your academic standing. Yeah, I know. no one wants to talk about it because it is boring. But hear me out…it is MUCH easier to maintain a high GPA than to bring one up from a lower average.
So how can you balance your social-studies life? Here are 5 tips for you to consider, as you navigate the unfortunate–but necessary–waters of time management.
1. If you have a big exam tomorrow, but there is an awesome party happening tonight, be realistic with your time! go, make the rounds and hang out for a bit, but be sure to hit the sack at a reasonable hour. Trying to focus for that 8am class–let alone stay awake–after a late night out is almost impossible. I HAD to have my sleep, or I was otherwise useless. And wanna know something cool? I never had to pull an all-nighter. Nope. Not even once.
2. Figure out scheduling that works for you. It’s common sense on this one. Are you a morning person or a night owl? If you are best-focused at night, why in the world would you sign up for a class at 8am? Need I say more? Side note: I only had one 8am course my entire college career. Boo-ya.
3. Develop a good routine. Find something that works, and stick to it. For me, I was TERRIBLE at remembering dates, names + important events for my new testament class if I read the night before. So, I tried waking up a little earlier on those class days to get my reading done just before, and almost aced every quiz. If mr. little is still at Midland High School, you can ask him how well I did in his history class. Let’s just say it was embarrassing. (I never really was a names + dates kind of gal; math was more of my jam.)
4. Find study groups. These will be your life-saver! As you get more into your major courses, make time to seek out a study group to help you stay accountable, as you tackle new projects + work through tough material together. Plus, these people become fun new friends!
5. It’s OK to skip once in awhile. WHAT? Yes, you heard me. You will learn that you can afford to skip certain classes every once in awhile if you really need to take some R+R, cram for a huge test or finish up a term paper. BUT don’t make a habit of it! You don’t have endless skips. Like high school, so many absences can affect your grade! So, read your class’ syllabus rules on allowed absences, and plan accordingly. Deathly sick? Probably okay to miss. Just not feeling it? Probably should get that booty in class. Is your mom pulling her hair out as I give you permission to skip right now?? Oops, sorry mom.
I hope I’m not scaring you, because college was THE best time of my life. It went by way too fast, but I loved every single minute of it. I met people who are now lifelong friends, had the opportunity to travel all over the world, learned the heart of a new city, and most importantly, discovered myself.
So, get out there. Have fun. Be realistic. And enjoy!
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