#studyparadise

31.07.16 sorry for not posting! Tbh these last few months I have barely been studying :(

Okay I don’t know if anyone wants to hear this but… basically a few months ago I moved rooms and instead of keeping my study table separate from my room, I decided to study in my room. Worst idea ever! When I got my trials results back (a pretty big test) for some of my subjects I didn’t get the results expected :(

Fast forward a few weeks of being very disappointed in myself I decided to step up my game and here I am back on tumblr (and studying) more motivated than ever :)

As you all may or may not know, I recently finished my first year in college. College and high school are quite different; there are some things I wish someone had told me before I started. 

 Go to class. I know it sounds obvious but it’s very easy to wake up late or even make excuses for yourself. Your parents won’t be there to shake you awake if you miss your alarm. Even if it’s a class you absolutely loathe please go. 

In college you have a lot of free time. I really didn’t realize how much free time I had until I got there. Each class is about 60 minutes to 90 minutes long not counting labs. You have a lot of free time so use it wisely!

Join orgs! During the first semester of college I didn’t really join any clubs because I was trying to adjust to the transition from high school to college. I also made excuses to refrain from joining a club in my second semester. I can honestly say I definitely regretted not joining a club that piqued my interest. When I wasn’t studying, all my friends were going out doing volunteer opportunities that I wish I could’ve joined in on. Please look into any club/org that you think might peak your interest. Even try joining a club you wouldn’t normally join. 

Go to Professor Office Hours/Teaching Assistant hours.  During the first semester I never really went to any of my professors’ office hours. I knew they existed but I never went. Over the course of my second semester I was constantly in office hours. For some classes I attended all the office hours that were offered. If you have a professor that has one on one office hours rather than a group, attend those as well. It pays to have your professor link a face with a name. 

Choose a schedule that works for you. I cannot say this enough if you are not a morning person do not take an 8 AM. Unless the specific professor you’re seeking only has one class try and make a schedule that fits you. I’m a night owl and I found having an 8 AM during my first semester truly awful. In college you’re paving your own path so make sure it’s one you like. 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. This is a very general statement but it goes a long way. If you have a question odds are someone has the same question. Rather than sitting there and suffering through not knowing PLEASE ask questions. Don’t feel embarrassed because it’s better to feel a little flustered over asking a question than go not knowing. 

Studying with friends isn’t always effective. I know personally I can only study in a group setting for certain topics. For example when I was working on calculus I liked being in a group setting for the immediate help. In contrast when reading for history I didn’t like being in a group setting. That’s just my preference everyone is different find ways to study that works best for you. 

Failure isn’t always a bad thing. I’m not necessarily saying failure as in failing a class it could be something small such as not doing as well as you might’ve wanted to on an assignment. Doing badly on an assignment doesn’t mean it’s over for you. One of the easiest thing to do is get discouraged, don’t do that. Make each failure a lesson for you to do better the next time around. 

Talk to other people in class. It’s college and everyone feels a mixture of panic and excitement during their first week of classes. Some of you may be going to colleges with a lot of people you know while in contrast some of you may not. Make sure to introduce yourself to other people in your classes even if you’re shy! It pays to have other classmates’ numbers when you’re trying to create study groups or need assistance. 

Take care of yourself. No matter what college you go to college is stressful. You may go into college knowing you already have anxiety towards certain things like I do. During certain times like finals week or just in general things college gets stressful. If you need to talk to someone about it reach out to someone. It could be other friends, family, or even a university psychologist. Just make sure to talk to SOMEONE when college gets rough.