Hello All!!!
Sorry I've been MIA, I just finished finals and the holiday was great but of course crazy.
After finishing my first semester, I wanted to share five important things I realized/learned as a freshman. I hope these help other fellow college students!
I hope everyone had a great holiday!!
See you again soon.
With love,
Mariss
Five Things I Learned Throughout my First Semester
1. Always read, read, read!!
Professors always assign so much reading throughout the semester
and I found myself asking, “Do I really need to read all of this?” By the end
of the semester, I figured out the answer, YES! Although it is horrible and
sometimes painful, just do it! It should benefit you in some way and if not, that’s
a personal decision. I like to read the chapter right before we cover the
material in class. Also- my suggestion is to read the chapters as they are
assigned so that way you don’t get behind. And get rid of any distractions like
a phone to help finish reading faster.
2.
Do what’s best for you!!!
There had been many times where I found myself in a little
pickle. Whether it came to work or my studies, I found myself in a position I shouldn’t
have been in. I always am proactive when I see a problem but with all of the
craziness, I sometimes forgot. You have to put yourself first, especially as a
student. If you can’t pick up that extra shift because you have a test then don’t!
Or if all of your friends or boyfriend are going out but you know you should
stay home and study, do what YOU think is best for you. If they are really your
friends/boyfriend, they will understand a not give you a hard time about not going out.
3.
Stay Organized
Even though I am a little O.C.D. when it comes to planning
and organizing, sometimes color-coding my assignments isn’t really a first
priority. Sometimes I can be extreme but some kind of organization is 100%
necessary. I would recommend getting some sort of planner, I personally love
the large Kate Spade planners but any office planner would get the job done.
Make sure to write down deadlines, assignments and important plans like club
meetings. Also, I love post-its. They make all different kinds, colors and
shapes. I use them in my notes to make a note of an important page or diagram
in the textbook or I even put them in my planner as a to-do list. They really
help me to stay focused.
4.
Take Good Notes
Depending on the class and the professor, you need to take
good notes. Some of my professors did the annoying “you need to copy everything
down on the PowerPoint” thing while others make simple PowerPoints that summarize
the chapter. Whatever the situation, find a way to get all of the information
down in the most organized and simplest way. Some of my professors actually
posted the slides online. I always find for me personally, I need to actually
write the notes down but having the slides as a guide is always helpful. In
addition, some of the textbooks actually had a summary of the chapter which was
just actually the PowerPoint. USE IT!!!! Include the date and underline
important vocabulary. Whatever makes you understand the material do it!
5.
Be Active!
Throughout my entire life I have always cheered competitively
and also for games. It was super intense during high school so I got great
exercise. For my own reasons, I decided to stop in college. Although I don’t regret
that decision, I regret my lack of physical activity this semester. As a
commuter, I planned to work out at the school gym, which is a great facility.
This didn’t exactly work out. Then I decided
I would just get a membership at a local gym five minutes from my house which didn’t
exactly happen either. Yes, I am joining after the New Year (they run great
promotions) but not exercising was really not a great idea. I found myself
exhausted after sleeping long hours and feeling sluggish. I needed to get some
sort of physical activity to stay focused and avoid that fatigue. And
obviously, exercising is great for maintaining a healthy weight and diet.
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