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5 Irreversible College Freshman Mistakes to Avoid

New academic year, new beginnings. Although starting college is thrilling, a lot of college freshmen may find themselves falling into pitfalls. Most likely, everyone makes mistakes, and it is okay. However, it is important to be aware of them to not hurt a school transcript and GPA. Here are a few things to keep in mind to make your first year go like clockwork.

1.   Don’t Miss Too Many Classes

Skipping class in high school might not seem like a biggie but, in college, it could have some serious after-effects. First of all, it is easy to fall behind. The majority of tutors and lecturers place a lot of weight on class attendance, and you can only participate if you are there personally. Moreover, cutting more than a specific number of classes can lead to an automatic fail for some courses.

2.   Don’t Trust Anyone When It Comes to Group Projects

Let’s face it: many college freshmen struggle with group assignments. It is often unfair because of randomly assigned group members, poor communication, unequal workload, and complex time scheduling. To avoid getting thrown under the bus with a combined mark, track participation with digital tools.

For example, always note who is doing which section, how many meetings you have had, attach correspondence with other group members, etc. If some students are jeopardizing the project, let your professor know about it. At the end of the day, it is your grade.

Never stop doing your best just because someone doesn’t give you credit.

– Will Smith

3.   Don’t Pull an All-Nighter

For cramming students, the only possible way to get homework done is to pull an all-nighter. Skipping one night of sleep may not affect a student’s grades, but getting enough sleep every night is important to academic success. If a busy schedule makes it hard to get a good night’s sleep, learn to embrace a nap the next day. There is no shame in taking a 30-60 minute nap to refresh yourself. Bear in mind that a longer shut-eye can leave you groggy after waking up.

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5 Tips on How to Cope with Student Stress

Gaining freedom is one of the main pros of college life, but at the same time, it can be associated with a fair amount of anxiety. Study goals, loan problems, and living away from home can all play on students’ minds and affect their well-being. Here is how to keep the disquietude at bay and sort things out.

1.   Stick to a Regular Schedule

Time can easily slip away from students while they are in college. Therefore, it’s necessary to select a time management rhythm so that deadlines do not pile up. This means eating regular meals and snacks at reasonable times of the day and going to sleep at an appropriate hour. A good night’s sleep is crucial not only for learning success but for keeping your stress levels under control. Try going to bed 30 minutes early, leave your phone and laptop in another room, and read a book instead.

2.   Know Your Boundaries

When students overcommit to activities, it can frequently lead to fatigue, stress, and eventually, burnout. Remind yourself that it is okay to say “No” to your college friends, especially if you are already feeling exhausted. Thereby, let them know when your schedule is filled up. On the other hand, you have to know your boundaries when it comes to school as well. Be cautious about taking on optional readings or extra credit assignments if you are notably occupied with other tasks.

Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.

– Anne Lamott

3.   Don’t Give Up on Your Passions

College students need a break most when they believe they don’t have time to take one. Engaging in hobbies can provide a stimulating variety in students’ lives and help to keep their stressful challenges in perspective. Try to find at least a few hours every week to take up a hobby. Whether it be playing guitar, baking, attending plays, or hiking, sneak them into your breaks and do something that brings you joy.

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5 Mistakes to Avoid While Preparing for Your Exams

The exam season is nearly here and it’s a nervy dash to the finish line. While preparing for final tests, the majority of college students get a lot of advice about best practices, but it’s also important to know what traps to avoid. Although they often intend well, many of the ambitious minds commit critical mistakes and therefore suffer in the long run.

Make sure you are getting the most out of studying before your exams by avoiding these 5 silly mistakes:

1.   Not Looking at the Big Picture

How can you know which tests are the most important to prepare for if you don’t know what grade you need to get on your final exam to achieve your desired score for the course? Create a list of all the upcoming deadlines and exams that are on the horizon. It makes sense to dedicate more time to studying for the classes in which your grade on the final test is more valuable. So find a balance that you feel comfortable with. 

2.   Using Your Phone as a Timer

Whenever you study it’s quite important to keep an eye on your watch to maintain your work schedule. However, don’t use your phone as a clock, you will just get even more distracted by other notifications and text messages. In fact, put your phone on silent mode and in a hard-to-reach place. Your granny’s egg timer works perfectly fine and makes a loud beeping noise that you will look forward to hearing.

3.   Relying on Lecture Recordings

Recordings are an essential supplement for your studies, but you should take notes and actually pay attention as things are being taught. Moreover, a lot of college students suppose that they will get ready for the exam if they attend their classes, browse the study guides professors have handed out, and visit the professors’ test review sessions. But that’s not enough either. If you really want to do well on your final tests, contact the teaching assistants, use additional resources and other tools to understand the underlying concepts.

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5 Back-to-School Tips for Fall 2021

Whether your courses are online, hybrid-virtual, or you are getting those twice-weekly COVID-19 tests to take classes in person on campus, you and other college students are all about to begin an unexampled fall semester. In light of this, we collected 5 back-to-school tips and hope they aid you in gearing up for and navigating this semester and year.

1.    Stay Safe On and Off Campus

When in doubt, always prioritize your safety. From making a habit of wearing a mask, applying (and re-applying) college-provided hand sanitizer, to practicing social distancing in classrooms, school facilities, and buses. Don’t forget to talk to your roommate and agree to COVID-19 safety rules that work for both of you. Your safety will ultimately depend on your own actions.

2.    Try to Form Professional Relationships

Though in-person access to your professors or instructors might be limited or even nonexistent, they remain an indispensable resource for you to rely on. Don’t be afraid to get in touch with them if you miss a day of class, feel like you are falling behind, or just need some extra study help. Your professors are also navigating this challenging time, so they will empathize with what you are going through as well.

3.    Appeal the Financial Aid Award

If your family’s financial circumstances have changed due to COVID-19, be sure to reach out to your school’s financial aid office to explain your situation and ask about additional scholarships or any available sources of funding. Be ready to document exactly what happened with lots of detail. Your college can then look at your family’s situation in finer focus and make their decision.

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5 Unconventional Study Tips that Actually Work

There are a lot of study tips you have probably heard a few times before, such as outline your notes or organize your study space. While those study tips and habits are beneficial, no college student craves to sit in the library for hours at a time just looking at their notes. We have prepared a list of five study tricks that may seem a bit weird but really work.

1.    Use Your Voice

Reading out loud can help you memorize information when studying. It can also aid you to catch any mistakes or typos in your written work. Try to record yourself explaining the difficult material to an imaginary audience. When you are done, playback the audio and listen to your own lecture. Don’t worry if it feels odd at first to talk aloud to yourself. After a while, you will get used to the sound of your own voice.

2.    Ignore a Study Break

Certainly, it is necessary to have study breaks for meals, workouts and other healthy activities to improve physical well-being and increase your productivity. But if you focus on a specific assignment and you are still in that study “bubble”, ignore a scheduled break and take it only when you are done with your important task. Being able to stay on track with studying without feeling overwhelmed is a great feeling, try to reach this mood once.

Changing your regular routine can give your studying a boost

– HomeworkForYou

3.    Watch YouTube

If you are getting bored with your usual study routine, break it up by watching a YouTube video on a relevant topic. No matter what you are studying, there is a pretty good opportunity that someone has already made documentaries or recorded lectures about it. You can get insights, learn a thing or two, and it will be a superlative foundation for the classical learning process.

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5 Things to Do if Your Summer Plans Fell Through

Summer is commonly a time to get outside, soak in the sun, enjoy family barbecues and long afternoons with your friends. This year may look different than usual, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun while also getting through your summer courses. Here are five things to help you maximize these months at home and be productive.

1.    Learn Something New

Instead of spending your days watching Netflix or TikTok, take a while to learn a new useful skill, whether it’s fishing, calligraphy, or speaking Mandarin. Another good idea is to search for industry-wide programs commonly used in your field of study, such as Libre Office or Adobe Photoshop. Find what interests you and pursue it. 

2.    Focus on at Least One Aspect of Your Health

Taking the time to eat well, exercise, and socialize virtually is absolutely crucial to maintaining healthy study habits. Unlike a new year’s resolution, you can choose an area of well-being to focus on in a mini-way this summer. Try to lose a few pounds by the end of next month, detox from scrolling through your social media feeds 2 hours a day, or learn a new exercise every morning.

3.    Network

Just because you are still a college student doesn’t mean you should ignore learning how to network efficiently for later. Make connections with professors who teach at your college, people you meet during internships, recent graduates, and other mentors from different walks of your life. The relationships you make now can help you get recommendations, land interviews, internships, and jobs in the future. 

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Top 5 Study Hacks for the Night Before a Test

The last opportunity college students have to influence the outcome of a test is the night before they take it. It’s the perfect time to do certain things that work for them, calm down their nerves and get a lot of rest.

By following a couple of ultimate tips and tricks, you can ensure that you are confident and ready for anything that comes up on the exam.

1.    Play It Safe

It’s not the right moment to experiment with a new memorization technique, work routines or medicines you haven’t tried before. Stick to your regular revision and study methods and do whatever puts you in the best frame of mind, boosts your concentration and productivity. Some college students like to change their study location every hour when others prefer to add some background tunes to their study routine.

2.    Work with a Study Buddy

Getting together with a similarly motivated study partner can also be a great idea to maximize revision results. Create questions from the material that you think could be on the test and schedule a Q&A review with your classmate early in the evening. Going over your weak areas and studying them one more time will definitely improve your score. Don’t forget to write down some quick facts, important dates or even mnemonic devices on a sheet of paper, so you can read it over in the morning before the exam.

3.    Don’t Drink a Ton of Coffee

While caffeine can give you a temporary energy boost and elevates your mood when you study, it will possibly leave you fatigued, dehydrated and jittery later. Avoid drinking coffee after midday so your body can get rid of the caffeine and allow you to get some rest that night. Instead, stay hydrated by drinking water, fruit juice or herbal tea and bring a water bottle into the exam.

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