Read 10 Tips to Survive College.
First, respond to TWO of these prompts that you find most interesting or most pertinent to you now.
Second, explain in a short response (2-3 sentences) what your main concern about college is right now.
Finally, respond to two concerns from your classmates.
Set goals in each class: I think it's a good idea to set realistic goals to keep you motivated. If you strive to get good grades, you more than likely will succeed. Make your goals able to meet. Don't make your goal to get a 4.0 because realistically, it probably won't happen and you will get frustrating.
ReplyDeleteLearn material the first time presented: If you just get by with the material and don't really learn it and you mostly memorize it, later in life, you will have to relearn it. You'll regret not understanding it and really learning it the first time. You will use it sometime down the road, and it's better to learn it now and not have to worry about learning it again 10 years down the road when it's going to be harder.
I am concerned that I'm not ready enough to start college. I feel like it's so close from now and I'm only 16. Starting college at 17 will be really frightening. I also am scared that I won't get good enough grades in each class.
I also feel that I'm not prepared enough. Im hoping by taking college classes in high school will help me be more prepared.
DeleteI agree with setting goals in each class. I also believe that having a 4.0 GPA as a goal in college isn't very realistic. The grading scale in college is different from what it is in high school, so getting a 4.0 wouldn't be too easy.
DeleteNo one will ever be prepared enough for college so I wouldn't worry about it. The classes are so dramatically different from any high school class and if you plan on going to a big school it will be so different from Northland classes. Also, the social setting and being on your own is nothing anyone can really prepare for. I wouldn't worry about that too much. Maybe the classes though.
Delete1.) I find "answer why you're going to college" interesting because some people walk blindly into college and don't know where their going to end up. Something pertinent to me are memory techniques; It is easy for me to remember dates and times.
ReplyDelete2.) My major concern for college are costs. I want a good education, but how much will it cost and can I afford it.
I agree that lots of people go to college not knowing that they want to do. They end up wasting money on classes. I think that you need a plan of action when going into college so you don't end up wasting money. It will head you in the right direction if you know what you want to go there for.
DeleteCost is definitely a high priority when thinking about college. Many people will often turn down a college that they love in order to go to a cheaper option that they may not enjoy. I think that if you really truly want to go to a certain college, you should take a little more debt if it is not a massive difference, you will probably end up happier and possibly more successful too.
DeleteI agree with the concern about the cost, I have a habit to spend my money on useless things that I don't need. I also don't get the process of how to pay for your tuition quite yet.
DeleteI agree that cost is a big concern. I have always been worried about how I will be paying for college. I want to go to a good college, but I don't want to go into debt right away either.
DeleteSome colleges are generous with scholarships, so that might be something to watch for.
DeleteI think one of the most important advice is number 6: to get an early start to each day. I truly believe the phrase "the early bird gets the worm", maybe not literally (you don't get a prize for waking up at 3:30), but I do believe that you will be more prepared for your day if you get an early start. As backwards as it sounds, I tend to be more awake when I wake up early compared to when I wake up 30 minutes before I have to leave.
ReplyDeleteThe other advice that I think is worth bringing up is number 4: to set clear goals for each class. Like Mr. Reynolds brought up in class, getting a 4.0 GPA is a lot harder in college than it is in high school. You will most likely run into classes that you find so hard that it is virtually impossible to get a perfect grade in. If you don't set different goals for each class, you will probably not get the highest GPA you can get and you will most likely become very discouraged.
My main concern for college is that I won't get into the school I want to get in to. I know this doesn't have much to do with concerns while being in college, but it is still a concern of mine. I worry that I will get into a college and hate the atmosphere and location. This is why I want to go to a big college through because finding things I like about the college will probably be easier if the college is bigger and has more to offer.
I agree with setting clear goals for each class. I think that if you set realistic goals for each class, you will be successful in reaching them. You will less likely to get frustrated if you don't meet them because you will motivate yourself to reach them.
DeleteI agree with you when you talk about finding the right school. It is kind of a huge decision picking where you want to spend the next 4+years of your life, and chances are you'll only get to visit a few colleges before you are set on your decision. I somewhat disagree that a big school would be easier to get comfortable in though, because I think a small school would probably have a more tight-knit friendly environment and more people who would actually care to help you find places/activities that you might enjoy around campus. Just my opinion though.
DeleteI also agree with the concerns about how weather or not I'll like the atmosphere at the college. Even though I've visited UND three times it's still a concern, I was there as a visitor not a student. But I'm pretty confident I made the right decision. It's only an hour away from home so I like the location also.
DeleteI also disagree with the big college thing. While being forced to visit UND for senior focus and 2 siblings going there and hating and leaving before the end of the first year, and visiting St. Scholastica, I noticed that the vibes at a small college are much more satisfying. Getting to be in that community feel of things is more comfortable. Not to mention you get to hang out with Nuns and have tea with them (at St. Scholastica not UND). I just couldn't see a big college being more homey and connected like a smaller college.
DeleteThe first piece of advice that I found enlightening was "Imagine your ideal college experience. This one kind of goes hand in hand with knowing why you are going to college. You should have clear goals set for what you plan to accomplish when you come in. If your goal is to get a double major and graduate with top honors, you better plan out how you can make that happen, but if it is to take it slow and have fun while also learning something, plan that out too.
ReplyDeleteThe other one that I thought was enlightening was "Triage ruthlessly". He explains that if you are taking a class that you feels is pointless to you in achieving your goals, then you don't have to give it 100%. If you are a well-read history buff, then you can probably get through 'Intro to Am. History 101' without attending class every day. Instead you could use this time to work on your more difficult classes, or to just give yourself a break. Assigning levels of importance to your work could be very helpful I feel.
One thing I am unsure of about college is if I go somewhere hundreds of miles away, I'm not sure how I'll handle the huge change in responsibility/independence in such a short period of time. Doing my own laundry, buying my own groceries, keeping expenses in order etc., will be a huge change.
I agree! I don't even do my own laundry, so I think it will be very different. But, I think it will be a good different just by being independent and it will teach me life long skills.
DeleteGoing hundreds of miles away is good for you! It will help you grow up, but learning how to do your laundry before you go is probably a good idea.
DeleteI agree that it is a huge change and will be hard to get used to but at the same time it will be a good experience.
Delete“Learn material the very first time it’s presented.” This is such great advice. Right now in my college chemistry class, when I don’t understand something right away, I probably will have a lot of trouble. I should probably follow this advice.
ReplyDelete“Triage Ruthlessly.” Spend time on the classes that you need to. Prioritize your classes between the ones that are difficult, and the ones important to your major. Focus the majority of your energy on what is important and do well in a few classes, instead of spreading yourself thin and doing poorly in all of them.
I am a bit worried about getting overwhelmed, and failing my classes. I feel like I would crack under all the pressure of surviving by myself and keeping up with all the school work.
Its a valid concern, but after a semester or two it will probably become second nature keeping up with your household + school.
DeleteI don't think that surviving by yourself will be as big of a deal as you think. Pretty much everyone does it and most of them make it out okay. And remember, Ramen is cheap and easy.
Delete"Get an early start to each day" I feel that this is important, to have a morning workout, shower, and breakfast is the ideal start because it prepares you for the day to come and also wakes you up. You could also get so homework done that you might not have finished.
ReplyDelete"Set clear goals for each class" This is good advice and I feel that this is important because you always need to set goals before you start something, it gives you more motivation
The thing I am most afraid of for college is to go into college not being prepared or knowing what to expect regarding to the level of hardness the classes will be.
I agree with getting an early start to each day. It would wake you up if you got a workout, shower, and breakfast in before your first class. It is harder to get something out of a class if you aren't alert.
DeleteI believe it is import to have fun at college. By having fun I mean going and meeting new people, trying new things, and stepping out of your comfort zone. Im not saying go and party all the time or put friends before school, but it is important to do these types of things.
ReplyDeleteI also think it is important to start the day early. That way you can get homework done, or start on it, or even to give you time to enjoy yourself. Also, it creates a routine, which I think is very important, because that way you are not as rushed or unsure about what you need to do.
I'm most concerned about keeping up on homework and missed work while playing hockey. I think its going to be hard but hopefully ill get into a routine.
I agree with you on that having fun is a important one. You need to learn to meet new people and try new things. You can't just sit in the corner all the time. You have to get out there.
Delete4. Set Goals For Each Class: I believe that it is important to have goals in each class. If you want to get good grades, and you set a goal to get an A or B then you will have a good chance of getting it. If you don't think about what you want to get out of the class, you will be more likely to take nothing from it. But if you do set goals you will get more from the class.
ReplyDelete10. Have Some Serious Fun: I think it is important to have some fun in college. I don't mean partly every day. But get out of the dorm and hang out with someone you don't know very well. Get to know people. Partcipate in the dorm activities. If you have some fun then you will have a better college experience.
The thing I am most concerned about for college is scheduling. I am worried about getting enough time in for classes, homework and sleep. Plus extra time to just hang out with friends. I don't want to get overwhelmed with homework when I go to college.
I have the same concerns. I don't think i'm very good at time management.
DeleteTaking additional classes each semester seems like a very good idea. Most colleges offer free credits past a certain point and you would be a fool to not take advantage of free education! It, of course, is not worth failing your original classes.
ReplyDeleteWe all need to set realistic goals for certain classes. If I am clueless in biology, I shouldn't sacrifice the subjects I'm good at to try to get a good grade in biology. It fits well in the whole idea of triage, pick the battles you can win.
My biggest concern for college is going to be taking care of myself. I'm kinda helpless; I'll need to learn a lot before I go off to school. Its going to be a radical change having someone not taking care of you.
I agree with taking advantage of the free classes. I don't know why anyone wouldn't take advantage of that.
DeleteA lot of the things that go into taking care of yourself are best learned through experience anyway, so it might not be a huge concern.
DeleteI completely agree that taking extra classes is a great Idea is you can handle it. Like you said many colleges do give you substantial amounts of free credits(courses) that you are abe to take after you sign up for a certian amount. This not only speed up your trip to graduation but gives you a huge oppertunity to save money.
DeleteI agree with taking an extra class is a great idea, especially if you don’t have to pay for it. As long as it doesn’t overwhelm you I think taking an extra class and graduating early is fantastic.
DeleteTaking additional classes was one of the better advice I have heard. Why follow the norm in how many classes you're suppose to take? You should take as many as you think you can handle, saving money by cutting down on semesters too.
ReplyDeleteThe next piece of advice was have some serious fun. You need to remember to balance your work and fun. You need too have fun to keep your passion for what you're learning alive and going.
I'm most concerned about not being able to get everything I want done and not being able to manage all my time. I need to think about how to manage between work, school, fun, and relationships without getting burnt out. I would really need to work on time management and time blocking.
I agree that time management is a great skill to have in college.
DeleteI agree with you on that time management is going to be tricky. I already have a hard time with doing my school work and getting it done but still going to school activities and hanging out with friends.
DeleteI agree that managing your time will be difficult. I already have a difficult time trying to manage it right now.=, and it will only get worse in college. Plus, you will have all of the added stress of paying bills and trying to make money.
DeleteI think number 4 is very important. Setting goals for each class helps you be more engaged in the material. When you have goals for a class you are more likely to do good in the class and learn a lot more from it. If you don't set goals then you have nothing to work for.
ReplyDeleteI also thin number 8 is very important. If you don't understand something you should not just ignore it. When you do your homework and there is something that doesn't make sense it will probably be on the test.
My main concern about college right now is taking the right classes. I don't want to waste my money on classes that I don't care about or don't need.
I agree with understanding all the material. A lot of classes will most likely build upon material previously discussed, and if you don't understand what was brought up before, how would you plan on understanding the new, most likely more challenging, material?
DeleteI agree with understanding the material also. If you don't understand the material at first you should ask questions, or else the material could build on the very thing you don't understand.
DeleteLearn the material when presented to you I feel is an important one. Instead of just learning enough of it to pass the class learn it all right away. Even though it might be a lot it will be well worth it in the end. Then later on you won't have to relearn a lot of it.
ReplyDeleteThe next thing I would say is important would be to set goals in each class. You are not always going to reach your goals if you set them to high. Be realistic and set reasonable goals for yourself.
I feel like I am not going to be prepared enough. Even though I am taking college classes now I feel like it is just not going to be enough. Hopefully with in the next year I will feel more prepared but as of now I am not all that confident.
I feel the same way. All of our teachers make it seem like college is so scary. I definitely don't feel prepared if it really is how they make it seem.
DeleteI agree, learning the material when it is first presented is a lot easier than trying learn on your own later on. Besides, when you only learn enough to pass the next test, you will have a very shaky foundation to build the new material on to.
DeleteI agree that learning it right away is probably best for you so you don't waste hours of your study or free time relearning what you have already had an oppertunity to learn in class. This is a challenge for me because I am a frequent day dreamer and I can see this being a problem.
DeleteI feel that being prepared for college is a key element in being a successful college student. Hopefully you get ready for college and you have people that will help you get prepared.
DeleteThe two pieces of advice I found most helpful were, "Triage Ruthlessly", and "Learn Material the first time."
ReplyDeleteI primarily was attracted to the first piece of advice, because I will be a vocal performance major, and need to find time to focus on practice.
The reason that I chose the latter piece of advice, was because I typically am a procrastinator, and need to find means of self-motivation. This is especially true with classes I don't care about.
My main fear with college, is that I will fail to make connections with other people. I have a very introverted personality, and typically when put in an unfamiliar environment I find it hard to make friends.
Ha! I don't think you will have as much of a problem as you think. Colleges have LARPing clubs, you will definitely find some like minded people there! Plus, you have a good sense of humor, people like that. Brah, I have a feeling that you'll do just fine.
DeleteIn college there are always people that will like you. But college is about school and getting your degree. I would be fine only having one or two friend during my four years in college. When I went on the UND visit Cameron G and I where sitting at the lunch table and 7 guys and a girl came and sat by us. The all started eating and then all of a sudden they start talking about Pokemon with more passion then I have ever seen people talk about it. So just find someone that shares your interest.
DeleteThe prompts I find most important are #4 and #7. With #4, I think that if you don't have any goals why are you even starting the journey, you're just kind of floundering around without a purpose. With #7, There are definitely classes that I could sleep though, why can't I do something useful while nothing is going on? I mean, in intro to Microsoft office I could have been reading the assigned chapter from social studies during the lecture and still known what was going on.
ReplyDeleteMy main concern for college right now is finding something that I want to do as a career. I have some ideas, but i'm almost positive I'll figure it out during my freshman year.
Im in the same boat as Max, that I don't know what I want to do as my career. I also agree that if you don't have some goal in mind when starting your college experience it could have a negative effect.
DeleteYea I don't know if what I am going to college for is what I want to do for the rest of my life. If anything I'll probably go back to school until I find what best interests me. So i totally agree with Max from that stand point.
Delete"Why am I going to college?" ~ This is a huge question, and I'm not even close to prepared to answer it. The weight of this decision is enough to make anyone stress out. We are expected to just know the answer when we get there, but what happens if you make the wrong choice? Mistakes like that become very expensive. I feel that high schools should do more to help you decide what you want to do, and even let you take a specialized curriculum, instead of focusing on standardized test scores.
ReplyDelete"Take at least one extra class each semester." ~ I feel this would be overwhelming. Right now, I'm only taking three college credit classes, and the amount of homework combined is staggering. For a student that works part-time and is in a lot of extra curricular activities, taking an extra class becomes impossible.
My biggest concern is becoming overwhelmed and burning out. The leap into sudden adulthood is truly terrifying, and I feel that I am completely unprepared for it. Of course, the mountainous cost of going doesn't help that either.
I disagrre with your take an extra class each semeter. When you get to college you don't spend as much time in the classroom as you do in high school. Also, if you manage your time well you can still be very involved in activities and get all of your work done.
DeleteI think that answering the questions "Why am I going to College?" is important because it is a lot of time and money to waste to not have an idea of what you are doing there. I think that is a big reason why kids drop out. You are more likely to succeed if you know what you want and are doing there.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think it is important to learn the material the first time around. It is so much harder to go back months later and try to learn something than if you were just to actually learn it the first time around. You are just setting yourself up to do bad if you wait until the last week to try and learn everything you have been taught over an entire semester.
The thing I am most worried about is not being one of the top students anymore. In college you are with the best of the best and that kinda scares me. Its kind of intimidating how you can go from being an excellent student to someone who is just average or even below average.
I think knowing "Why am I going to College?" is a great question to ask yourself. Is is because of mom and dad, is it to party or is it because you want to learn? If you`re able to answer it as the last one then you're probably going to be more successful in college than the others.
ReplyDeleteI believe the triage ruthlessly concept is brilliant. I have had classes where the hardest part (project) was only worth 5 percent of the grade for that class. I spent countless hours into making the project amazing to my standards and fell behind in some classes because of it, only to realize that it really wasn`t worth the time. So being able to recognize whats important and whats not will give you a huge advantage.
My main concern about college is that I don't have a clue about what I want to do with my life. So this makes applying to colleges really hard because I'm not sure what I should be looking for.
If you are going to school for something you believe in or that you love to do, I think the work becomes fun. It's true, there is a social aspect that I think needs to be fulfilled at the same time, but it is extremely important to actually work towards doing something fun for your career.
ReplyDeleteThe most important step to me were having fun and reclaiming wasted time in classes. People either think that college is all for having fun or all for work. Balancing them out is the best for you in the end. Knowing when it's the right time to have that fun and when you should be studying is important. People who don't will either flunk out of college or freak out over all the stress. Having the right kind of fun is important too.
ReplyDeleteReclaiming the wasted time in class is something I never thought of till this article. Those classes that are something you either learned or when the teacher goes off on irrelevant tangents is a great time to do other work. Coming back to it a different time will be time that could have been somewhere else. Especially after you sit in class all day listening to something that doesn't help you already feel worn out. It's a great idea to keep your motivation up.
Next year in college I would say my biggest concern would be going into the wrong major. Being stuck between two totally opposite paths and having to choose one is kind of scary. I don't want to pick the wrong one, change my mind, fall behind, and pay all that extra money. That's my biggest worry.
I like the idea of taking an extra class each semester. I was already thinking either of getting a major and a minor or a double major. If I took an extra class each semester I would be pretty close to to getting that double major.
ReplyDeleteI also found learn the first time helpful. I’m awful at cramming for things so if I don’t learn it the first time I’m not going to have very much fun the week before finals. It is just easier to learn it over time then stare at your book for 8 hours the day before the final.
One concern that I have it time management. I also want to play hockey in college on top of doubling majoring and I don’t know if i will be able to do all of that. I think I could do all of it and still have fun if I’m productive with the time I spend on homework and classes.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with number 5. "Triage ruthlessly". You really don't need to put as much effort into a class thats really or not for your major when your struggling with a more important class.
ReplyDeleteI also like the idea of getting an early start on your day. In the mornings I do the exact same thing every single day. This helps me wake up and get my mind set for school.
My main concern for college will be time management. I hope I can manage my time so I can get all my work done with 1-2 hours of free time. I think if I did not have free time in college I will go crazy cause its hard for me to do homework for 2-3 hours straight.
I agree with your concern of time management. Without free time I would go insane as well.
DeleteI also agree that I would want some "me" time instead of strictly doing homework. I'd like to get some time just to relax and let my mind rest from using it so much each day.
DeleteI have the same concern. Time management will be completely different in college. At least at college you most likely will not have classes all day.
DeleteI agree with #3 which is to take an extra class each semester. There are many benefits to this like graduating early and staying busy with class so that you don't start to procrastinate and what not.
ReplyDeleteI also like the idea of setting goals for each class. This allows you to stay focused with everything that is going on. It also illustrates what you want from each class.
A concern that I have about college is time management. I will need time for sleep, homework, class, sports, working out, and hanging out with friends. I just hope that I would be able to manage all that.
I agree. And as to your concern, it'll help that college classes don't usually go all day like high school classes.
DeleteI say taking an extra class each semester would benefit you a lot. Looks better when you're looking for a job and it will make you look a lot more organized then most people. Also would help you stay on task to do more work in your classes instead of going out and party.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that when learning from text books you should really try to learn it the first time. My best bet to do this is because no one is there to hold your hand through it you have to understand it right away. If you don't I am pretty sure you'll just end up getting lost in the material and not even have a clue about anything.
My biggest worry is that I don't know how I am going to manage my time between the military and school work. I hope that I can figure something out so I can stay ahead of classes. Getting behind in my opinion is one of my biggest fears. Being behind can also put a lot of stress on you and I don't want that.
Imagine your college experience: This is a huge inspiration. If you know what you want you can achieve it whereas if you don’t know what you want you’ll never be able to do it. By visualizing what you want it’ll help you know how to get it.
ReplyDeleteReclaim wasted time: When teachers are lecturing about a topic you know about do that homework for the class that you have next. Don’t abuse this. If the professor is lecturing about something you don’t fully understand then you should listen to the lecture.
My main concern for college is the homework. There are some assignments in high school that I think are difficult and if they’re difficult here they’ll be way harder in college.
I think the most important thing to do in college is number 10, have fun. People
ReplyDeletethink that when you go to college you only do homework and study for classes. If you do that you will probably hate yourself and drop out. So have a little fun and go out with some friends.
the second most important thing is to triage ruthlessly. This means that if you have an easy class then don't go all out on it. If you already know the material then take a little break. But if the class i important to your career. Then you can go all out and try.
My main concern with college is that I might be studying the whole time. I want to have a little fun while I am in college, not just study and do homework constantly.
I agree with you completely on overwhelming yourself with school. You have to be able to live a little and check out of the school portion of college every once and awhile.
DeleteI think the most important thing in college is number 5, triage ruthlessly. If you can focus on the classes for your career path you should be able to become the best candidate at that job you are applying for in the future.
ReplyDeleteThe second most important thing is to just have fun. If you swamp yourself with more schoolwork you can handle, then you could crash and burn. Which more than likely will result in you dropping out of college and wasting a lot of money.
My greatest concern in college is falling behind in classes, I'm a pretty bad procrastinator and I need help staying on task or else I will never do it.