Though the first year of college does not require you to take complex subjects and write a dissertation, you may find it surprisingly difficult as compared to your last high school year. In most colleges, the freshmen curriculum has plenty of subjects, and teachers’ expectations seem to exceed students’ abilities. However, your academic performance can be better than you think. To realize how much you can achieve as a freshman, try to avoid these common mistakes most people make when entering college or university.
Skipping classes repeatedly
This is a major temptation for all students living on campus. When there is no one out there to control you, it is easy to skip all morning classes and attend just the ones you like. At first, some teachers may seem quite tolerant of student absences. However, you may regret skipping classes when it comes to tests or exams. Of course, it may be wise to skip a class occasionally after having a big party or spending a long night studying. Just make sure it does not happen often.
Ignoring time management
When there are many things to do, you need to utilize at least some time-management techniques. Even though the first year is merely an introduction to college life, the pressure in academic subjects is crushing. Now, you have to decide what tasks are a top priority and how much time you can devote to each of them.
Avoiding communication with teachers
All the teachers at college are new to a freshmen. Most of them devote some time to students who are willing to ask questions. Sometimes, it is the only way to make teacher’s instructions clear. So, take an opportunity to communicate with your teacher. It may help you write better papers and escape conflicts in your college life.
Wasting money
If this is the first time you have lived on your own, you may go off budget. Now you have to pay for housing, cover your educational needs, and still have money for eating nutritiously. So, you need to make your monthly budget and decide how much you can spend on what. Keep your expenses under control, and you will save more time and energy for what is most important to you.
Living off campus
There is nothing wrong with living at your parents’ place if your college is situated in your hometown. However, if you need to take a long daily commute, it would be better to move to campus. This way you will save precious time for studying, fun activities, and essential rest. Wasting a few hours on commute every day can kill your ambitious plans and deprive you of energy.
Oversharing student life on social media
Many freshmen find their new experiences exciting. Still, be careful about what you put on social media. Always think about how your teachers or your future employers would react to your Facebook or Instagram profile. Despite privacy policies, what’s posted on the web can become more public than you may want.
Depriving yourself of sleep
It happens to all students and everyone else. Nevertheless, studying all night long can kill your performance in a long-term prospect. Do not forget to take care of your health. Try to get as much sleep as you need. Remember that your daily productivity as well as your ability to enjoy life depends on how well-rested you are.
Not asking for help
No doubt, a freshman’s life is more difficult than people expect. Still, many students decide to cope with all their assignments alone. While it is good to be ambitious, it would be even better to learn to delegate your tasks. Ask RapidEssay to complete English 101 essays for you. Decide with your roommates who does what in the dorm. Asking for help is an essential skill that will help you immensely to get through your adult life.
Taking on too much
Besides home assignments and daily chores, your college life is full of fun activities. In participating too much, you can easily exhaust yourself and overlook some important tasks. At first, you can find yourself capable of doing many of the things that you like, but over time, you will see that you are ignoring your less than favorite, but still very important, tasks on a daily basis.
Staying secluded more than necessary
Clearly, not all people enjoy new challenges, social events, and stepping out of their comfort zone. If you are one of them, you may find yourself constantly hiding at home, doing the bare minimum of tasks you are expected to complete. In such a case, you are probably missing useful opportunities and potentially interesting activities. Try to take part in some campus events every now and then. As you stop fearing over-exhaustion, you will see many things that may interest you around school. Try one or two of them as they can be an enriching experience.
These are 10 common mistakes that either diminish our productivity or add more trouble to our lives as freshmen. By refraining from these compulsions, you may find it easier to perform well and actually enjoy your college life.
