Organization is a major factor in what makes a successful college student. Invest in a planner or calendar to write out assignments and appointments as they come to you. Due dates will not appear as suddenly if you have them written in a planner, and you are less likely to forget homework assignments after writing them down. Color code your assignments to keep everything neat and in order. It’ll help with memorization too. Target also offers a wide array of organizational office supplies to keep your dorm room or apartment harmonized.
2. Learn to like coffee.
Your usual venti vanilla bean Frappuccino won’t do much in the way of providing caffeine during those late night study sessions in the library. Try something new one day — iced coffees can be finessed into not tasting like dirt water with the right ingredients. They’re less caloric and provide a nice boost of energy when you can’t look at your textbook or laptop any longer. With UCA having four different coffee shops on campus, the options are bountiful. Your long nights huddled over a textbook in a library study room will not seem as grueling with a warm #PumpkinSpiceLatte or toasty house brew in your hands.
3. Utilize all available resources.
Universities offer many resources to provide students with success. Take advantage of these to ensure you get the most out of your college experience. The library, HPER, tutoring and writing centers, as well as professors’ office hours are all available to use at your disposal. Make sure you utilize these opportunities, as they are all included in your tuition. Student resources are also available all around Conway, including student discounts. Many places in Conway offer student discounts and accept BearBucks as a valid form of payment. Taco Bell, Zaxby’s and Stoby’s all allow UCA students to get their grub on for reduced prices.
4. Don’t take an 8 a.m. you hate.
Trust me on this, eight o’clock classes are the absolute worst — it’s just an unavoidable truth. What makes an 8 a.m. class even worse is hating the class you’re in. You won’t feel motivated and eventually skip multiple classes in a row, causing your grade to plummet. While it won’t make up entirely for the atrocity of waking up at 7:30 a.m., taking a class you actually like as an 8 a.m. will cause you a lot less grief in the long run.
5. Remember the little things.
Freshman year can be one of the most stressful times of a young person’s life, but it doesn’t have to be. One of the biggest pieces of advice I could offer an incoming freshman would be to remember the little things about their first year at school. Keeping a journal is helpful for this. While you may be miserable some days, other days will be some of the best you’ve known, and you deserve to remember all those moments. School is fleeting, so don’t freak about that one bad grade. Focus on bettering yourself and you’ll be set.
All gifs courtesy of giphy.com.
