How to Succeed in College

College is a time unlike any other in your life. You have gained independence, you are in a
new place, and your adult life is gradually staring you in the face. You have choices to make,
and you know it. There is no secret recipe for succeeding in college; everyone does it
differently, in a style all their own. Most students in college, who succeed however, share
certain characteristics. Read on to find out what they are.
1
Avoid procrastinating. College academics, especially in the first and second terms,
is not especially difficult. Unlike high school, however, college asks you to build your
education from the bottom up, rather than regurgitating whatever facts a teacher feeds
you. This often means a bit more work than you're used to.
o Give yourself incentives to study in advance. Don't cash your paycheck until
you're finished with that term paper. Celebrate with friends after you've taken
the test. Treat yourself to something you've been wanting after you finish your
studying goals.
o Plan. It's possible to fit in all the social, academic, and logistical
responsibilities in college and still have time for yourself. But you do need to
plan. Before each week, be realistic about how much time you can devote to
social activities and how much time you're going to need to spend writing or
crunching numbers.
2
Get passionate about something. Take a moment to reflect on what you enjoy doing
and studying, and what you're genuinely interested in. What are your goals? What are
your plans? College is another step on the ladder to professional success. What do you
want to do after college, and how will college prepare you for that next step?
3
Take a broad range of classes in the beginning. Even if you've already declared
your major and know what you want to study, it's a good idea to expose yourself to
different subjects, fields, and themes. Over half of all college students change their
major at least once during their undergraduate stay, with many changing their major
two or three times before settling on one.
[1]

o Another reason to a broad range of classes in college is that you're likely to
change careers over your lifetime, and even a class or two can make an impact
in know-how and understanding. The Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn't
exactly keep track of career changes, but what we do know is that you're likely
to be in a different field at the end of your career from where you started out.
[2]

4
Listen to other students, but form your own opinions. As soon as you get to
college, you'll hear other students talking about which teachers are "easy," and which
ones are not; which careers are "hot," and which ones are not. Listen to these opinions
they probably have some degree of truth but don't let them dissuade you from
what you want to do. You are your own person, and you owe it to yourself to form
your own opinions about things.
5
Engage with teachers. A big mistake college kids make is never forming a
relationship with their teachers. Forming a relationship with teachers can help make
your education richer, your network bigger, and may even net you a friend or two in
the bargain.
o Go to office hours, even if it is a courtesy. Showing your face in office hours
is important. Talk about ideas and methodologies you are having trouble with,
and let the professor know who you are. You will probably get a better grade
if your professor knows that you put in the time to visit during the term.
o Look for a mentor. A mentor can be a professor or administrator who takes a
special liking to you, with whom you form a deeper bond. A mentor will be
able to dispense advice, help you choose classes, and could even help you get
a job after you've graduated. Don't underestimate the importance of a mentor.
6
Form good study habits. Everyone studies in a different way. Some people need
television or music in the background; other prefer total silence. Some people like
studying in groups; others prefer solitary study. Find out what habits work best for
you. Ask yourself and answer these questions:
o How much time does it take an idea to stick for you? Do you need weeks
before the light bulb goes off, or days?
o What kind of a learner are you?
[3]
Are you:
An auditory learner? Do you learn by hearing something? You would
rather have an idea explained aloud than reading in.
A visual learner? Do you learn by seeing something? You would
rather learn by looking at graphs, reading, or watching a
demonstration.
A kinesthetic learner? Do you learn by touching something? You
would rather build whatever you're reading about, and see it in action.
o What time of the day do you work best? Do you bust out a lot of work in the
morning, or are you a night owl?
7
Set an academic goal for yourself. If you don't set any academic goal, you might
leave college wondering whether you tried enough. Your academic goal doesn't have
to be the same as someone else's goal. Try to be realistic about it when you set it;
balance it out with other personal goals you may have. Getting through college isn't
always about getting a 4.0 or graduating magna cum laude. It's about doing the best
you're capable of, given your resources.
Method 2 of 3: Socializing
1
Establish as many friendships as possible. If you're at a bigger school, you may find
the sheer number of new people a bit intimidating. That's okay. Everyone feels that
way at first. Get past the intimidation of the numbers and you'll find dozens, if not
hundreds, of people that you get with and learn from. Many people look back on their
college years with good memories, often because of the friendships that they made.
2
Get involved in clubs, traditions, and events. College events are lot different from
the compulsory events you might have done in high school. Because no one is forced
to participate, the people who are there enjoy being there on their own. It's no secret
the real draw of clubs and events is the social aspect. You'll probably meet a lot of
people with similar interests, a few people you don't get along with, and a few people
with absolutely amazing backgrounds. C'est la vie: it's a cross-section of life.
o Take the time to do clubs and events outside your immediate social circle. It's
fine to invite your best friends to participate in your club's activities. But what
if bringing your friends along means that you wouldn't have met another
potential friend? Try to meet as many interesting people as possible during
your time in college. Don't make friendship an exclusive right shared only by
you and your inner circle.
3
Go to parties. College parties are almost a mythical unicorn: built up so much by
Hollywood and expectations that they're almost bound to disappoint. Well, almost.
Most college parties look nothing like the kind of parties you see on TV. (Depending
on the school you go to, however, there are some pretty tremendous party
atmospheres.) Be yourself, put a smile on your face, and get in the mood for meeting
new people. Who said "success" was just about academics?
o Be a gracious party-goer. Don't litter bottles around someone's room, make a
mess in someone's kitchen, or use someone's bed without their permission.
Bring cups or soda, or if you're old enough, beer or wine. It's never bad being
the person that the host takes a liking to because they're generous and well-
mannered.
o Be careful about drugs. Know which drugs are likely to harm you and which
drugs are milder. (Alcohol and marijuana in moderation aren't likely to put
you into the emergency room, but cocaine, meth, hallucinogenic, and
painkillers can all be potentially fatal.) Some students find that college is a
time to experiment with drugs, but follow your conscience. Don't do anything
you're not comfortable doing. In addition, remember that more often than not,
you don't know what's in a particular drug.
4
If you decide to have sex, make it safe. Many college-bound freshmen are still
alarmingly ignorant about sex. In college, people like to brag about sex. The truth is
that college students have sex at a much lower rate than their braggadocio might
suggest. One study found that a majority of participants had 1 or fewer sexual partner
over the course of a year.
[4]
Another survey found that 59% of students reported
having no sexual partners in the last 30 days.
[4]

o Always use protection. Whether you're a guy or a girl, always keep a condom
on you if you're sexually active. If used correctly, a condom is 98% effective
in preventing pregnancy.
[5]
Don't agree on sex unless you or your partner uses
protection. Contracting HIV, herpes, or another STI is as easy as having
unprotected sex one time. And unlike your excitement, which will fade with
time, an STI like herpes won't go away.
[6]

o Understand that alcohol may mess with your judgment or decision-making
skills. Alcohol will decrease your inhibitions, meaning that you'll find it easier
to justify having sex with someone you might not have if you were sober.
[7]

Understand this before you start drinking.
o Get straight on the myths about sex. Let's debunk some of the myths about
sex:
"The birth control pill protects me from STIs." Myth. Birth control will
not protect you from STIs like HIV/AIDS.
[8]

"I can't get pregnant if I'm on my period." Myth. You can absolutely
get pregnant when you're on your period.
[9]

"I can't get pregnant if I'm a virgin and it's my first time having sex."
Myth. Unfortunately, this is false. You still have a 5% chance of
getting pregnant.
[9]

"The birth control pill is effective the first day you start taking it."
Myth. It can take up to a month for the birth control pill to become
effective.
[10]

5
Never eat alone. (Actually, if you feel like it, eating alone doesn't have to be a bad
thing.) Taken from the name of a book by Keith Ferrazzi
[11]
, the idea is that
networking, or making connections that might jumpstart your career at a later date,
can be made easy and doesn't have to be a bad thing. Make the most of your
opportunities while you're in college. Turn time in the mess hall into a rewarding
lesson in personal development.
Method 3 of 3: Health, Safety and Finances
1
Eat healthy, exercise, and get enough rest. All three seem to be on the shortlist for
things college students do least. If you want to succeed in college, however, and learn
how to balance work, play, and a thousand different things in between, you'll need to
start getting serious about your health.
o The optimal diet for a college student is the same as it is for everyone else: eat
lean meat or protein, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and stay away from
sodas, candy, simple carbohydrates, and saturated fats.
[12]
Not only will you
feel better, but you'll also be in better shape to avoid the infamous freshman
15.
o Exercise is a miracle drug, except that it's not really a drug. Exercise helps us
burn fat, build muscle, lower cholesterol, ease stress, and sleep better.
[13]
Join
an intramural sports team, do laps in the gym pool, or simply take the stairs
instead of the elevator. If you do nothing else, try to get in 30 minutes of
walking a day.
o Get enough sleep. One of the best ways to maximize academic performance
on tests is getting a good night's sleep.
[14]
In fact, students who pull all
nighters, students with sleep disorders, and students who routinely stay up late
on weeknights all perform worse in college than students who get regular,
comfortable, lasting sleep.
[14]

2
Visit the university health center. The university health center will have all sorts of
information about staying healthy on campus, in addition to housing the university's
best doctors. Take advantage of the free amenities your health center offers: free
vaccines, condoms, and counseling are among the most common.
3
If your college has a safety department, use it. Many colleges and universities will
have a public safety department that looks after the safety of the university
population. Public safety officers will routinely:
o Escort you to your home or dorm if you feel unsafe.
o Give you valuable safety tips about living in your area (especially applicable
in an urban setting).
o Investigate crimes that happen on campus. If you've been a victim of a crime,
especially robbery, rape, coercion, or assault, please notify the campus
security and/or local police.
4
Budget out your expenses. College is a time when kids start behaving like grown-
ups. Part of being a grown-up is having a budget. To make a budget, take an inventory
of the money you'll have during any given month. Look at your past expenses, and
budget out how much you'll allow yourself to spend during that month. The expenses
should not exceed the amount of money you have. A sample budget might look like
this:
o Total amount of income per month: $1300.
Housing: $600
Food: $250
Books and school supplies: $100
Gas: $200
Discretionary spending: $150
5
Apply for financial aid. Apply for federal student aid, or FAFSA
[15]
before going to
college, and check back routinely for new financial aid opportunities. Check with
your college's student aid department to find out if you apply for any financial aid or
merit-based scholarships. There's a lot of financial aid floating around out there if you
know how to find it.
6
Look for work-study opportunities. Your college or university needs employees to
function, and it probably knows that giving its students a chance to work is a winning
bet. Check with your school about work-study opportunities. Much of the time, you'll
get paid to do a mindless, nominal task like man the library entrance. This should also
give you opportunities to study while you earn a paycheck.
o Other times, the college or university will pay you to perform research with a
teacher or department. This is where having a mentor (see above) becomes
important. A mentor could be able to convince the department that you're an
excellent candidate for the research position. This is another cushy job to have.
7
If you can, save money. If you're getting a scholarship or financial aid, or your
parents are helping you out with expenses, try as much as possible to save money
while you're still in college. After you leave college and become the arbiter of your
own life, you'll have to start paying bills. Those bills will be a lot easier to pay if you
stored away a little nest egg while you were still in college. Other reasons to save
money in college:
o Study abroad costs money. Lots of it. If you want to study in Florence, Italy or
Shanghai, China, or virtually anywhere else, it's going to cost you a pretty
penny. There are scholarships and aid, but you can't always count on them.
o Student loans take time to pay off. If you're like most college students, you'll
have a lot of loans to pay off once you leave college. Getting them (and the
interest payments) paid off can play a huge part in what your budget looks like
after you graduate.