In 2019, almost 20 million students were freshmen in college in both public and private universities, starting the most exciting journey of their life. No parents and teachers are hovering over you, and you can finally do what you want. But, during this excitement, you are bound to make mistakes if you don’t start on the right foot. Here are the most common mistakes first-year students make and how to avoid them.
Not attending classes
It’s tempting to party all night or sleep at 3 am when your parents are not hovering over you. You will get the notes and assignments posted online, but you will miss the lecturer’s insights and class participation, which are detrimental to your overall grade. Think of college as working towards the job market, the same way high school was working towards college. If you were targeting an ivy league university like yale, you had to read Yale admissions tips and follow them to the latter to get admitted. You kept your SATs high, joined sports, and even volunteered just to increase your chances of joining Yale.
It’s the same with college grades. Every class you attend contributes to your final classification. In most universities, your attendance is attached to your final grade and can be lowered by missed classes. If you know you are not a morning person, it’s best to schedule classes in the afternoon when you are likely to attend.
Not balancing work, social life, and school
Most college students must pick up shifts to make extra money. There is always confusion between spending time with your friends, finishing your assignments, attending class, and working. Without creating balance, you will mismanage your time, deteriorating your schoolwork. Budget your time by allocating days for each activity. For instance, pick up shifts the days you don’t have a lot of classes, meet your friends over the weekends and some evenings, and spend the rest of the time taking care of your schoolwork.
Not asking for help
College comes with added responsibilities and stress, and you may feel overwhelmed. Although you want to prove that you have everything under control, there is nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it. Talk to a counselor, ask to see your professor, or enlist a tutor to help you with concepts you find difficult to grasp.
Not managing your credits
With some many exciting classes to choose from, you can spend your first few years taking lower-division courses that don’t meet graduation requirements. Get familiar with credit breakdowns as soon as possible to know your core and major credits, and what percent you need to get an upper or lower division. Plan your schedule, so you balance between the fun classes and what you need to graduate without going for an extra semester.
There are a lot of fun activities you can do in college, but remember your first duty is to study. Take time to experiment with classes and choose your major when you are sure of the path you want to take.
