How to Prepare for College/University

1

Bring your school supplies. Make sure you are well acquainted with the syllabus before coming to your first class session. The syllabus contains everything your professor wants you to know for his or her class, so be prepared. You don’t want to be hit with a surprise assignment that you didn’t do because you never read the syllabus. Check online for the syllabus because most colleges will have class home pages on their websites. Most of the time, you will be able to check what books you need for your respective classes ahead of time. Once you know what books you need, you need to visit the campus bookstore to buy your books. Another viable option for school textbooks are sites like half.com and amazon.com. Buying your books through sites such as these are often money savers, just make sure you factor in the amount of time it will take for shipping. Some students also are fortunate enough to know people who have had a particular class before. If so, ask around to see if someone has a book you could borrow for the semester.

2

Have unique style. The picture you have of college may be intimidating. Chances are you know little about the environment you will be spending the next four years in. What is meant by “style” is how each student wants to portray themselves. What do you want your style to say to the faculty and your peers? For some, fraternities and sororities play an important role in defining their style. One of the main draws of groups such as these is the sense of identity they afford their members. You don’t have to have it all figured out before you come to college, so don’t sweat the little things. Keep your main goal in focus and be prepared to grow and change into the person you want to become. 

 

 

3

Intelligence. Being prepared goes far beyond having the right books and the right clothes for college. More importantly, you have to be mentally prepared. Don’t fall into the same trap as many other college students. Be responsible. More than likely, you or your parents are paying quite a bit of money for you to attend college. Don’t throw that money away. Go to class. Wake up in the morning with enough time to get ready and eat some breakfast. The easiest way to ensure you wake up in the morning is going to bed at a decent hour the night before. It’s probably best to save the partying for the weekends. No one wants to sit in class next to someone who just rolled out of bed with yesterday’s clothes still on, and you don’t want to be the one who is constantly nagging people for their class notes because you were never there to fill them in. Also, ask your professor for help in the subjects you don’t understand. With few exceptions, professors are there to help you learn, so if something isn’t making sense to you, take advantage of your educational opportunity and ask the professor to explain it further. College is fun – and you can enjoy it! – but be responsible by keeping your mind sharp. 

 

4

Be motivated. It’s important to remember that college isn’t forever. You have a limited amount of time at your school to gain whatever you want from it. You alone have the power to make the most out of your education. It is easy to lose sight of your purpose when you’re in college, but never forget that you are going to college to get an education. If you can motivate yourself to excel in college, you will have a better chance at a career in your future. Don’t exaggerate your ability to change your habits. What I mean is, if you slack off in college, it will be hard for you to be diligent after college. Not only will you have extra ground to make up after graduation to get yourself in career-shape, but old habits die hard. Instill motivation in yourself early on and not only will you have a successful college experience, but also a successful career ahead of you. A career may not seem important early on in college, but graduation day will come quicker than you think, and with it, loans that have to be paid off as well as an independent life to be lived. Once you graduate you will, hopefully, be living on your own. Living on your own doesn’t just mean independence; it also means you must start paying for everything on your own. You won’t regret the time you put into your college career when that extra effort lands you a better job to help you pay off school debts and live an independent adult life.

 

Source: Wikipedia