Aug 29

Aug 29 5 Back to School Tips

1. Know the syllabus

- When your teacher or professor hands you that powerful piece of paper that informs you of when your assignments are due, when you take exams, when classes are canceled, make sure you go through it. Some teachers will spend the first day going over the syllabus, it may be long and boring but it will be very helpful. Take a good 30 minutes to look at the syllabi of all your classes to make sure that your assignments don't clash and write down all your major assignments into your planner (better yet, put them into your iPhone calendar). Your future self will be grateful when everyone else is swamped with back to back assignments but you already planned ahead.

2. Don't spend all your money

- I remember my first year at a 4 year college when I got that rebait check, I didn't know how to act. I woke up one morning with a healthy amount of money in my bank account and the first thing I did was drive to the mall. Little did I know that the money was meant to last me all year. For those of you who receive financial aid or loans, spend it wisely. Buy all your school supplies, text books, and save the rest for a rainy day. Don't end up like those students who are surviving off of pennies during the last weeks of school cause they ran out of money.

3. Take notes in class

- This piece of advice comes from a place of regret. During my senior year, I suffered from major senior-itis and I stopped taking notes in class. When finals came around, I payed the price for my laziness. Yea it may seem tedious but the text book doesn't have all the answers, many times professors test you on what they taught in class or what they discussed, so keep track of that. Also, don't be fooled by those professors who claim to post notes online because most of the time those power-points only have half the material the professor will test on.

4. Make friends in class

- It's important to make friends in all your classes because you can't get through school/college alone. One day you might need notes, clarification, answers to a problem or a study buddy. You don't have to be best friends, but find a group of people that are smart, and organize study sessions with them. You will be surprised how much it helps to study with other people.

5. Stay focused

- School/college is a time to be around all your friends, learn new skills, get involved in groups, party, date and learn about yourself. But in the midst of all that fun, remember to stay focused. It's important to invest in your social life, extracurricular activities and interests but don't loose sight of why you're in school. Furthering your education is a necessity in our society these days and for most people, it's not cheap. So work hard, prioritize, and face your books.