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Study Habits, Setting Priorities and Time Management’s Importance to Your First Year at College
College is a huge step for any young adult. The difficult classes mixed with new found freedom and hundreds of activities to join can catch many recent high school graduates off guard. Many incoming college freshman underestimate these challenges, and can easily find themselves in a hole that is very difficult to get out of. Fortunately, there are a few basic trips to help these new students out. The three most important things for every college bound senior to know are to have good study habits, set priorities, and to manage their time.
Studying is a task that is not always required in high school, which is why most college freshman have little knowledge of how to study or how much to study. It is advised that the student have a “study spot” where they do all of their studying. This should be a quiet, secluded area where they can concentrate their absolute best with minimal distractions. It is also recommended that each student study at least 2 hours per week for each class. This doesn’t sound like a hard task, but the procrastination is a constant and difficult battle for every college student. Another way of battling procrastination is by going by the motto of “if you’re not studying, your behind,” some wise words from my teacher, Mr. Rice. Having good, consistent study habits will make your freshman year of college tremendously easier.
The importance of setting priorities is something that every college-bound senior should know. There are an overwhelming amount of clubs, organizations, and people that it is easy to simply “go with the flow.” However, jumping at every opportunity is more likely to hurt a college freshman than help them. It is crucial that each student decide what their top priorities are while they are at their new college, and to stick to those decisions. From grades, to fraternities and sororities, to the baseball team, it is important that each individual decide what comes first to them. Hopefully grades will come first, but everything thereafter is up to each individual. Setting priorities will increase the chances of having a happy, healthy freshman year at college.
The most vital thing for a college freshman to know is how to manage their time. Knowing how to study is important, but if a student does not manage their time properly they may end up without any time to study at the end of the day. Setting priorities is essential, but students still need to know when they can participate in certain events and when they simply do not have time. Weekly and/or monthly planners make time management easy and effective, if used correctly. If the student can make themselves write down every assignment, when it’s due, when significant events are, and when they should study, they will have an automatic leg up on any other student who isn’t doing so.
Making the adjustment from high school to college can sometimes end up being a bad experience, but these tips should help any freshman make a smooth transition. Although the life of a college freshman will probably never be considered easy, knowing these skills will surely make not only a student’s freshman year successful, but their entire college career.