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While college might be an eye-opening, world-expanding experience for most, others observe the university-going time of their lives as an opportunity to finally get some sleep, sometimes at the expense of class. However, there are many who've walked where they've walked, and they're happy to tell you what they learned after making it out alive.
Reddit user, u/conspiracychannel, wanted the wisest words to follow when they asked:
What's the best advice you can give someone starting college?
Alarms For Every One
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Use a calendar app to keep track of your classes.
On the first day of class when you receive your syllabus go home that night and input all your important dates(tests, projects, etc) for each class.
This is a REALLY good one. Also use the same calendar to keep track of social events, "me" time, study time, etc. Block the time in your calendar, and try to stick to it.
When someone invites you to a thing, and you can look at the calendar and see an empty spot, it's super easy to be able to say yes without hesitation, because you know that you have critical time booked already.
Turn Up Notifications To Full
Check your goddamn email
Perhaps I should elaborate a little bit more because a lot of you are making some great suggestions. I go to a "paperless" state university so everything is done through some portal or another. I have had entire assignments done through email, if I hadn't checked then I would have gotten a 0.
This is my 4th year at school and I've been an RA for 3 years now. It is so incredibly surprising to me that every year i have a handful of freshman tell me that they didn't get the notice because they don't check their emails!! I have my email on both of my computers, my phone, and my tablet and I check it at least once an hour every day of the week (again because everything at my university is through email/internet). Some of you may have slightly different experiences but this is the reason behind my comment.
50 Is More Than 0. That's Just Math.
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It's better to try and do something 50% than to just not try, don't let the fear of failure stop you from doing something.
If you fall behind it's so easy to just let it consume you but you need to claw yourself out of that mindset inch by inch
A Place To Lay Your Head
Make sure your dorm is your safe-haven.
You'll always be able to find social events and parties, but you don't want that becoming the place where you sleep at night
Ask A Question
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If you don't understand something, speak up. You are not the only one with the same question. It's far more important to stay on track than to look ~cool~ in front of your peers.
If you're intimidated by talking in class- take advantage of your professors office hours. Building that relationship and showing I was trying saved my ass a time or two.
Use All Available Resources
Take advantage of professor's office hours. When I was in college, I didn't want to be a needy pain in the arse so I didn't bother to get to know more than just one of my profs.
My daughter just graduated college, and before the ceremony, we went to her school of business department brunch.
I was shocked what a valued relationship she had with her profs. Life long friendship happening there. They love her and have sound advice that I could never provide to her.
So use your resources.
The last piece of advice I can give you is that you will make your best friends in college. Life will happen and you will lose touch a bit. Then more life happens and you will reconnect and continue to have the time of your lives together.
Do What You're Interested In
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Take advantage of summer internships in a field that you actually see a future in, rather than working ones that don't interest you on the merit of them paying more. (Edit: If you can afford to do so)
It can be really tough to break into certain lines of work after college, and a number of these bottom of the totem pole positions are only offered to current undergrads or very recent graduates. I can't emphasize enough how much a leg up you'll be giving yourself in life if you seek out these types of opportunities while you're still in school.
Sometimes, A College Might Just Be A College
BE SMART WITH MONEY!!!
Enjoy the experience, meet people, study abroad if possible, but dont go to a Harvard-price school for a degree that is useless in the real world
You Know, That Thing You're Supposed To Be Doing...
Go to class.
It's easy to fall in the habit because of the potential fun out of class activities. It's not high school. They aren't going to come figure out why you are missing class. You'll just fail out. I saw way too many smart people who just couldn't resist the party and late night life and failed out of school. You keep the debt and you have nothing to show for it.
It's All On You
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College gives literally zero sh-ts about you. You can skip classes, you can text in class, you can eat in class, you can walk out of class, you can avoid your homework, you can fail tests. They do not care. You need to have the motivation and self discipline to get your a-- to class, pay attention, and do your homework.
Edit: wow, this blew up. Okay, this obviously is a case to case basis. It depends on the school, on the class, on the professor, on the year. Your situation might be different. That's fine! My point is you are not babysat like you are in high school. While you are cared about, it isn't to the extent it has been for the past twelve years.