Back to School Series - Freshman Year
Continuing my back to school series - looking at some ideas for freshman year. Some we have covered, but some are new.
Continuing my back to school series - looking at some ideas for freshman year. Some we have covered, but some are new.
My suggestions for freshman:
-1 Learn to say “NO” - over-extending yourself can keep you from your goal of getting an education and getting a degree.
-2 Learn how to study!! Sure, you ‘know’ how to study!! (Maybe not). High school isn’t college. It might seem easy at times, but keep in mind that you need to finish the classes.
Sure, you go to your room at (say) 7:00 p.m., turn on the TV or music, check your email, Google some information, text message some of your friends, check out the latest YouTube videos or Facebook posts, and read your textbook. At 11:00, you put down your books and congratulate yourself on four hours of studying. You maybe did an hour.
The suggestion is to get rid of distractions. No TV, and it might be okay for music – like soothing Bach string quartets!! Don’t go on the Internet (unless you absolutely need to); don’t go to email or Facebook.
There are many great concepts available for you. I’ve been looking at: https://howtostudyincollege.com/ and http://www.csc.edu/learningcenter/study/studymethods.csc and many others.
Almost all campuses have “learning centers”. Take a study skills workshop (early on). Learn how to take notes, learn how to study for tests. Invest in yourself!!!
The suggestion is to get rid of distractions. No TV, and it might be okay for music – like soothing Bach string quartets!! Don’t go on the Internet (unless you absolutely need to); don’t go to email or Facebook.
There are many great concepts available for you. I’ve been looking at: https://howtostudyincollege.com/ and http://www.csc.edu/learningcenter/study/studymethods.csc and many others.
Almost all campuses have “learning centers”. Take a study skills workshop (early on). Learn how to take notes, learn how to study for tests. Invest in yourself!!!
-3 Plan, plan, plan your schedule - and stick to it
Allow some downtime – time for some exercise, a jog around campus, maybe even a basketball game or activity. But, the reason you are in college is to learn and to get a degree. Playing a pickup basketball game might be fun and a stress reliever, but does it help your learning and degree goals? (And, absolutely you NEED physical activity - so build that into your schedule).
Socializing is good, but watch your time. There is an old expression that is probably true (not true for all, of course) that college is the best four years of your life. After all, you get to live away from home, away from parental supervision, setting your own time – and (generally) letting somebody else pay the bills. I remember after my first semester, one of the best times of the day was after dinner in the cafeteria. A casual group would get a cup of coffee (which is where I learned to drink coffee – but it could be water or anything) and just talked.
Saturday? Sunday? Yes – you study on BOTH weekend days. “But there is a big home football game this Saturday” – okay, then get up at 7:00 and study before the game. “OH – my favorite pro team (in my case, the Green Bay Packers) are on Sunday night football – I have to watch!!” To be honest you don’t “have to watch” it. You might enjoy it – and if you allocate your time, you can take some time to watch the game – but if not, you can take a break every hour and check the score – and get back to studying. Whether you watch or not will not change the final score. Your cheering from your dorm room or lounge will not impact the game!!!
-4 Fourth – tests
Depending on the class, tests will probably be the main component of your college work. When the professor announces a test (and it should also be on the course syllabus), start them preparing for the test. What has the professor emphasized in class? What important concepts are in the textbook? Are there study questions at the end of the textbook chapter? Do them – ALL OF THEM. Get another textbook from the library (and yes, they should have similar texts for all classes) and go through the study questions and review questions. Study with a friend, quiz him or her on the concepts and then let that person quiz you.
I remember being so ready for my math class tests. I did all the assignments in the textbook, including ones the professor didn’t assign. I pictured myself (imaging) knowing all the questions, I walked into the classroom so prepared that I could almost have taught the class – AND – created the test.
Again, go to the Learning Center and get help on test studying. Essay tests will be different than multiple-choice tests and require really knowing the topic and really being able to write.
-5 EAT BREAKFAST
Some analysts have said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Get up and get going. And others have also talked about the freshman fifteen - that many freshmen will gain fifteen pounds. Eat, get GOOD nutrition - don’t live on Cheetos and soft drinks. (Aside, while I do have some snacks in my house, I avoid sweet drinks and drink mostly water, iced tea or hot black coffee.)
More tomorrow about getting your college career started on the right foot!!!
Karen
Allow some downtime – time for some exercise, a jog around campus, maybe even a basketball game or activity. But, the reason you are in college is to learn and to get a degree. Playing a pickup basketball game might be fun and a stress reliever, but does it help your learning and degree goals? (And, absolutely you NEED physical activity - so build that into your schedule).
Socializing is good, but watch your time. There is an old expression that is probably true (not true for all, of course) that college is the best four years of your life. After all, you get to live away from home, away from parental supervision, setting your own time – and (generally) letting somebody else pay the bills. I remember after my first semester, one of the best times of the day was after dinner in the cafeteria. A casual group would get a cup of coffee (which is where I learned to drink coffee – but it could be water or anything) and just talked.
Saturday? Sunday? Yes – you study on BOTH weekend days. “But there is a big home football game this Saturday” – okay, then get up at 7:00 and study before the game. “OH – my favorite pro team (in my case, the Green Bay Packers) are on Sunday night football – I have to watch!!” To be honest you don’t “have to watch” it. You might enjoy it – and if you allocate your time, you can take some time to watch the game – but if not, you can take a break every hour and check the score – and get back to studying. Whether you watch or not will not change the final score. Your cheering from your dorm room or lounge will not impact the game!!!
-4 Fourth – tests
Depending on the class, tests will probably be the main component of your college work. When the professor announces a test (and it should also be on the course syllabus), start them preparing for the test. What has the professor emphasized in class? What important concepts are in the textbook? Are there study questions at the end of the textbook chapter? Do them – ALL OF THEM. Get another textbook from the library (and yes, they should have similar texts for all classes) and go through the study questions and review questions. Study with a friend, quiz him or her on the concepts and then let that person quiz you.
I remember being so ready for my math class tests. I did all the assignments in the textbook, including ones the professor didn’t assign. I pictured myself (imaging) knowing all the questions, I walked into the classroom so prepared that I could almost have taught the class – AND – created the test.
Again, go to the Learning Center and get help on test studying. Essay tests will be different than multiple-choice tests and require really knowing the topic and really being able to write.
-5 EAT BREAKFAST
Some analysts have said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Get up and get going. And others have also talked about the freshman fifteen - that many freshmen will gain fifteen pounds. Eat, get GOOD nutrition - don’t live on Cheetos and soft drinks. (Aside, while I do have some snacks in my house, I avoid sweet drinks and drink mostly water, iced tea or hot black coffee.)
More tomorrow about getting your college career started on the right foot!!!
Karen
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