Lillian
How do I get prepared for college
I’m a junior in high school and I just want to know factors to get me ready for college life #college-advice
4 answers
Rachel Resnick
Rachel’s Answer
You will need to focus on stress and time management. In order to manage stress you have to manage your time wisely. <span style="background-color: transparent;">You have to set a routine for yourself and stick to it for the most part. Once you get into the groove of a routine it will be much easier for you to manage your time and have enough time for everything you need to do (including relaxing). Make yourself to-do lists on a weekly basis, use Google calendar or a planner to keep track of events, deadlines, and due dates. In addition to setting a routine and sticking to it, plan out relaxing activities into your day. Or set aside a time, after everything is done for the day, that you can have "me" time. I have also personally found it essential to not only find time for myself but also make use of that time in a way that is best for me and my holistic wellness. I have found the HeadSpace app to be an essential tool in helping me relax and generally feel more relaxed throughout the day, Guided meditation, even if you have a busy schedule, will make you feel more at ease and relaxed throughout the day as a whole (not just when you have the time to relax and focus on that "me" time).</span>
<span style="background-color: transparent;">Set a routine.Use Google Calendar.Set aside Me TimeWrite weekly to-do lists and use a planner.Find a peaceful and restful activity that will help you feel relaxed.</span>
Richard A.
Richard’s Answer
Go to class. Plan to spend 2-3 hours studying for every hour of lecture. Attend your professor's office hours and any TA review sessions. If there is a test bank, use that as a study tool to understand what your professor wants you to focus on for the test.
Getting good grades in college is difficult especially with so many new distractions. Don't forget why you are there: getting an education is more important than getting the "college experience."
Rachel Weinheimer
Rachel’s Answer
Alice Bekombo
Alice’s Answer
Hi Lillian,
Transitioning from high school to college can be tough, especially if you are not prepared. So it's already a good thing that you are trying to get prepared!
Self-discipline
One of the most important thing is discipline. You need to be prepared to organize your own study schedule, to do your own research on difficult topics, to search for additional exercises/practice/homework.
It will also help you if you have a structured and efficient studying methodology. In high school, I used to create flash cards with a summary of each lessons, for all topics. Creating the cards helped me to memorize my lessons, and made it easier to review for finals. Having that methodology tremendously help me in college.
Time management
A key thing is also time management. You can prepare yourself by creating homework/study schedules right now in high school. And by the time you get to college, you will already be used to organize your time.
Budget management
Student life is often a time where you will have to manage your own budget, which can be challenging.
You can be prepared by starting now to make monthly budget reports. For example: listing all of your expenses each month, such as food, gas (if you have a car), movie tickets, etc.
Good luck!