6 answers
Alexis
Student
Paris, Kentucky
1
Question
Asked
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What does it take to be a good college student and what do you need to do?
What things are helpful to bring to college
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6 answers
Soumya Nair, CSM®
PROJECT MANAGER
4
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Soumya’s Answer
Being a good college student involves a combination of effective strategies, personal qualities, and a commitment to your academic and personal development. Here are some key attributes and actions that can help you succeed as a college student:
Time Management: College often involves juggling multiple classes, assignments, and activities. Effective time management is crucial. Use planners or digital tools to schedule study sessions, classes, and extracurricular activities.
Organization: Keep your class materials, notes, and assignments organized. Use folders, binders, or digital systems to ensure you can quickly access what you need when you need it.
Active Learning: Actively engage in your classes. Attend lectures, ask questions, participate in discussions, and take thorough notes. Active learning helps you understand and retain information better.
Study Habits: Develop effective study habits. Find a quiet and comfortable place to study, avoid distractions, and use study techniques like summarizing, outlining, or creating flashcards.
Time for Rest and Relaxation: While studying is important, don't neglect self-care. Make sure to get enough sleep, eat healthily, and engage in physical activity to maintain your overall well-being.
Effective Communication: Communicate with your professors and classmates. If you have questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out for clarification or help. Building positive relationships can be beneficial.
Goal Setting: Set clear academic and personal goals. Having specific objectives can motivate you to stay focused and make progress.
Adaptability: College can be challenging, and you may encounter unexpected obstacles. Being adaptable and open to change can help you overcome these challenges.
Seeking Help: Don't be afraid to seek academic or personal support when needed. Most colleges offer resources such as tutoring, counseling, and career services to assist students.
Critical Thinking: Develop critical thinking skills. Analyze information, evaluate arguments, and think critically about the material you encounter in your courses.
Balancing Priorities: Manage your commitments wisely. Balance your academic responsibilities with extracurricular activities and part-time jobs to avoid overwhelming yourself.
Resilience: College may have its ups and downs, but resilience is key. Learn from failures and setbacks, and use them as opportunities for growth.
Networking: Build a network of peers and professors. Networking can lead to valuable opportunities, including internships, research positions, and future job connections.
Time for Reflection: Take time to reflect on your academic progress and personal development. Consider what you've learned and how you can continue to improve.
Ethical Behavior: Maintain academic integrity by avoiding plagiarism and cheating. Uphold ethical standards in your coursework and interactions with others.
Financial Responsibility: If you're managing your finances independently, be responsible with your budgeting and financial decisions. Avoid unnecessary debt and plan for the future.
Career Planning: Begin thinking about your future career early. Seek out internships, co-op programs, and career counseling to explore your options and develop a career plan.
Remember that college is not just about academic achievement; it's also a time for personal growth and development. Embrace the opportunities to explore new interests, meet diverse people, and broaden your horizons. Ultimately, being a good college student involves finding a balance that works for you while striving for academic excellence and personal well-being.
Time Management: College often involves juggling multiple classes, assignments, and activities. Effective time management is crucial. Use planners or digital tools to schedule study sessions, classes, and extracurricular activities.
Organization: Keep your class materials, notes, and assignments organized. Use folders, binders, or digital systems to ensure you can quickly access what you need when you need it.
Active Learning: Actively engage in your classes. Attend lectures, ask questions, participate in discussions, and take thorough notes. Active learning helps you understand and retain information better.
Study Habits: Develop effective study habits. Find a quiet and comfortable place to study, avoid distractions, and use study techniques like summarizing, outlining, or creating flashcards.
Time for Rest and Relaxation: While studying is important, don't neglect self-care. Make sure to get enough sleep, eat healthily, and engage in physical activity to maintain your overall well-being.
Effective Communication: Communicate with your professors and classmates. If you have questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out for clarification or help. Building positive relationships can be beneficial.
Goal Setting: Set clear academic and personal goals. Having specific objectives can motivate you to stay focused and make progress.
Adaptability: College can be challenging, and you may encounter unexpected obstacles. Being adaptable and open to change can help you overcome these challenges.
Seeking Help: Don't be afraid to seek academic or personal support when needed. Most colleges offer resources such as tutoring, counseling, and career services to assist students.
Critical Thinking: Develop critical thinking skills. Analyze information, evaluate arguments, and think critically about the material you encounter in your courses.
Balancing Priorities: Manage your commitments wisely. Balance your academic responsibilities with extracurricular activities and part-time jobs to avoid overwhelming yourself.
Resilience: College may have its ups and downs, but resilience is key. Learn from failures and setbacks, and use them as opportunities for growth.
Networking: Build a network of peers and professors. Networking can lead to valuable opportunities, including internships, research positions, and future job connections.
Time for Reflection: Take time to reflect on your academic progress and personal development. Consider what you've learned and how you can continue to improve.
Ethical Behavior: Maintain academic integrity by avoiding plagiarism and cheating. Uphold ethical standards in your coursework and interactions with others.
Financial Responsibility: If you're managing your finances independently, be responsible with your budgeting and financial decisions. Avoid unnecessary debt and plan for the future.
Career Planning: Begin thinking about your future career early. Seek out internships, co-op programs, and career counseling to explore your options and develop a career plan.
Remember that college is not just about academic achievement; it's also a time for personal growth and development. Embrace the opportunities to explore new interests, meet diverse people, and broaden your horizons. Ultimately, being a good college student involves finding a balance that works for you while striving for academic excellence and personal well-being.
Rebecca Tang
Banking
1816
Answers
Hong Kong
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. Many students may find anxiety on how they fit in the college. This is a very common question.
Below are my suggestion:
1. Join the orientation program organized by the faculty or student union
2. Explore the campus before the semester starts
3. Explore the extra curricular activities you have interest
4. If you will stay in dorm, try to move in earlier and get familiar with your room mates and hall mates
5. Review the syllabus of coming year and prepare if necessary
In the college, you will learn not only the knowledge of your major & minor. It will try your analysis and critical thinking skills. You can join and organize the extra curricular activities. You will also meet many new people. They will become your precious people network in the future.
The college days is one of my memorable moment in my life.
Hope you will enjoy your college days! Good Luck!
Below are my suggestion:
1. Join the orientation program organized by the faculty or student union
2. Explore the campus before the semester starts
3. Explore the extra curricular activities you have interest
4. If you will stay in dorm, try to move in earlier and get familiar with your room mates and hall mates
5. Review the syllabus of coming year and prepare if necessary
In the college, you will learn not only the knowledge of your major & minor. It will try your analysis and critical thinking skills. You can join and organize the extra curricular activities. You will also meet many new people. They will become your precious people network in the future.
The college days is one of my memorable moment in my life.
Hope you will enjoy your college days! Good Luck!
TaNia Green
Cleaning Service
11
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
TaNia’s Answer
With a strong will and the desire to improve, you can achieve anything. It's all about visualizing your own success. Staying motivated and focused will significantly aid in your journey to becoming an outstanding student. Always remember, there's a bigger goal awaiting you beyond college.
Angelina D'Costa
Warehouse Associate
1
Answer
Ontario
Updated
Angelina’s Answer
Hello Alexis,
I just graduated from college this year with a bachelor's in biology. I finished with a gpa of 3.7, but looking back I know I could have definitely done better had I implemented a few key things. If I could do college all over again, this is what I would do differently:
1. Maintain a planner: It is very easy to put things aside for the last minute but instead try to check off at least one thing off your to do list daily. You don't have to use a fancy planner for this. Good ol' pen and paper will do. The goal is to built it into a long term habit so I suggest starting slow and building up. This will actually free up time for more fun things like your hobbies.
2. Getting an ipad: This is an investment cuz ipads are not cheap but it is so worth it. I highly recommend taking notes digitally. My app of choice is Notability. Here's a link on how to use the app if you are not familiar with it: https://youtu.be/rF3tkgkucCo?si=8UgBw7vJrTW4Gznm
What I love about this app is the fact that you can record lectures while you are taking notes. You can also see exactly what you wrote down at any particular point of your recording. It was a game changer for me as I could revisit lectures again if there were instances where I zoned out during class haha. It's really nice to have that safety net.
3. Learning: Try to figure out what method of learning works for you. For instance, I'm a visual learner. Visual aids like pictures and videos help me understand better. Some people love to write material down to reinforce new concepts. Spaced repetition and active recall are also some really great ways to help with learning new content. I'm gonna link some videos for you regarding these topics that helped me tremendously:
https://youtu.be/unityETmypk?si=f1U6QREhgCoI6TS8
https://youtu.be/Z-zNHHpXoMM?si=sSWMa5YHMsxUD7Yx
https://youtu.be/brInNApdbL4?si=a1fvmOlKfDFaBqnU
4. Professors: Don't be afraid to reach out to your instructors. They are there to help you. If you ever have trouble with understanding concepts in class reach out to them via email/ office hours. This will also help with building rapport with them and you never know what opportunities will unlock for you.
5. Sleep and Exercise: I cannot stress enough how important these two are. If you want to optimize your experience in college make sure you get at least 6 hours of sleep every night. As for exercise you don't have to do anything crazy. Focus on activities you naturally enjoy. It could be going for a 30 minute walk a few times a week.
6. Have fun! : I highly recommend setting aside time to decompress and have fun every week. This can be whatever fun means to you. College can be overwhelming at times with the workload given in class. It can be especially tricky if you are also juggling a job in the mix. But at least once a week, do something that will truly energize you. It could be as simple as reading a book, or catching up with a friend over coffee.
BONUS TIP:
7. Connect: I was a commuter student. I had great friends for a semester and then I would almost never see them again. In hindsight, this is something I regret a lot. If you come across great people that you get along with, try your best to bring those relationships out of the class setting. You could go to the movies, explore the city you live in, do fun activities like do escape rooms etc. This will help nurture those relationships and make them long lasting.
I just graduated from college this year with a bachelor's in biology. I finished with a gpa of 3.7, but looking back I know I could have definitely done better had I implemented a few key things. If I could do college all over again, this is what I would do differently:
1. Maintain a planner: It is very easy to put things aside for the last minute but instead try to check off at least one thing off your to do list daily. You don't have to use a fancy planner for this. Good ol' pen and paper will do. The goal is to built it into a long term habit so I suggest starting slow and building up. This will actually free up time for more fun things like your hobbies.
2. Getting an ipad: This is an investment cuz ipads are not cheap but it is so worth it. I highly recommend taking notes digitally. My app of choice is Notability. Here's a link on how to use the app if you are not familiar with it: https://youtu.be/rF3tkgkucCo?si=8UgBw7vJrTW4Gznm
What I love about this app is the fact that you can record lectures while you are taking notes. You can also see exactly what you wrote down at any particular point of your recording. It was a game changer for me as I could revisit lectures again if there were instances where I zoned out during class haha. It's really nice to have that safety net.
3. Learning: Try to figure out what method of learning works for you. For instance, I'm a visual learner. Visual aids like pictures and videos help me understand better. Some people love to write material down to reinforce new concepts. Spaced repetition and active recall are also some really great ways to help with learning new content. I'm gonna link some videos for you regarding these topics that helped me tremendously:
https://youtu.be/unityETmypk?si=f1U6QREhgCoI6TS8
https://youtu.be/Z-zNHHpXoMM?si=sSWMa5YHMsxUD7Yx
https://youtu.be/brInNApdbL4?si=a1fvmOlKfDFaBqnU
4. Professors: Don't be afraid to reach out to your instructors. They are there to help you. If you ever have trouble with understanding concepts in class reach out to them via email/ office hours. This will also help with building rapport with them and you never know what opportunities will unlock for you.
5. Sleep and Exercise: I cannot stress enough how important these two are. If you want to optimize your experience in college make sure you get at least 6 hours of sleep every night. As for exercise you don't have to do anything crazy. Focus on activities you naturally enjoy. It could be going for a 30 minute walk a few times a week.
6. Have fun! : I highly recommend setting aside time to decompress and have fun every week. This can be whatever fun means to you. College can be overwhelming at times with the workload given in class. It can be especially tricky if you are also juggling a job in the mix. But at least once a week, do something that will truly energize you. It could be as simple as reading a book, or catching up with a friend over coffee.
BONUS TIP:
7. Connect: I was a commuter student. I had great friends for a semester and then I would almost never see them again. In hindsight, this is something I regret a lot. If you come across great people that you get along with, try your best to bring those relationships out of the class setting. You could go to the movies, explore the city you live in, do fun activities like do escape rooms etc. This will help nurture those relationships and make them long lasting.
Teena Marty
Sales; Consulting
8
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Teena’s Answer
If you are asking yourself "how do I be a good college student", you are already starting off in the right direction because you show the desire to be a good college student. Of course, it will be a different situation as you will be moving from high school (or possibly transferring from a community college) into an environment of higher learning. You will be meeting students who are striving for the same things you are and will have them as a resource to discuss things with; you will also be meeting and learning from professors and instructors who can help you be a good student and help with your learning path and career path. Do not be intimidated to ask anyone for guidance and/or help as you navigate your college years. Some key points are to stay focused, ask questions, set time to study (and work in study time if you have to work a job at the same time), do attend your classes - whether in person or virtual, make friends, participate in activities, know that you are there for a purpose, and do not criticize yourself if things are not going the way you thought they would. Ask for help, show up and have fun! College is a wonderful life and learning experience!
Gireesh Subramanya
Technology / Software Development
6
Answers
San Jose, California
Updated
Gireesh’s Answer
Follow these actionable steps to enhance your learning:
1. Make it a priority to attend all your classes. No matter how tired or unwell you may feel, strive to be present and punctual. Arriving 10 minutes early gives you the chance to interact with your classmates and teacher, making the learning process more enjoyable and less of a burden.
2. Establish a dedicated "study spot" at home. This spot should be used exclusively for studying and completing homework. This strategy trains your brain to focus when you're in this spot and relax when you're not. This method not only helps reduce stress but also frees up more time for other activities than you might think.
3. Organize your day into three equal parts of 8 hours each. Dedicate one segment for sleep, another for attending classes and studying, and the last one for other activities such as part-time work, exercise, or hobbies. This balanced approach ensures you have time for everything without feeling overwhelmed.
1. Make it a priority to attend all your classes. No matter how tired or unwell you may feel, strive to be present and punctual. Arriving 10 minutes early gives you the chance to interact with your classmates and teacher, making the learning process more enjoyable and less of a burden.
2. Establish a dedicated "study spot" at home. This spot should be used exclusively for studying and completing homework. This strategy trains your brain to focus when you're in this spot and relax when you're not. This method not only helps reduce stress but also frees up more time for other activities than you might think.
3. Organize your day into three equal parts of 8 hours each. Dedicate one segment for sleep, another for attending classes and studying, and the last one for other activities such as part-time work, exercise, or hobbies. This balanced approach ensures you have time for everything without feeling overwhelmed.