For many, freshman year is an eye-opening experience. What words of wisdom should students heed to make college a better experience? There’s an old adage which says to end up right, you must start out right. A great way to start is to poll a current college student – a rising sophomore - fresh off freshman year. Learning their tips and tricks, as well as what they expected vs. what they experienced will help set you up for success.
Go with the attitude you are there to get an education and not just a degree. You are at college to learn how to learn and gain wisdom of how the world works. College is not about making you look good. It is about a discipline that will put you into a job where you will shine, and not into a job that merely gives a paycheck.
The nature of college requires that you show up for classes, take good notes, study daily and resist the urge to party. It is expected that you are mature enough and organized to the point that you can function on your own. Seek help early, attend review sessions-even if you do not feel you need it. Most professors hold review sessions prior to exams and many offer centers where free tutoring is available. Few realize how disrespectful it is to the professor to beg for extra points at the end of the semester after having been MIA for every opportunity for assistance, and how dishonoring that is to the student himself.
Get to know your professors and cherry pick teachers to get the best. A great source of information is RateMyProfessor.com. Pay attention to professor grading practices and attitude. Be sure not to take on more than you can handle during freshman year. Adapting to such a different world than you are accustomed to will be harder and take more effort than you realize. As you take the first steps leading to a college degree, approach it with an attitude for success. Be determined to get started right, and you will greatly increase your chances for success. Study long and hard and your reward will be not only a piece of paper, but you may also learn something about life along the way.
Read more: How to Avoid The Common Pitfalls of Going to College | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5034406_avoid-common-pitfalls-going-college.html#ixzz1uI2iFJHW
http://maplewood.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/college-corner-beware-the-freshman-pitfalls/
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