Many freshmen start their time at university believing that somehow things will work out. Unfortunately, it won’t. Even if you did well at school and have a great high school grade average, that doesn’t mean that you can study successfully. Not all studies are the same as in high school – but before most first-year students have understood this, it is already too late: If you don’t take your studies seriously and do it professionally, you will fail faster than you think. Everyone should know the following tips to start your time at university the right way.
Every First Year Student Should Know This
Take Your Education Seriously
If you want to study successfully and happily, you have to invest a lot of time and energy in the new phase of your life, especially as a new student. You have to take your studies seriously and fully engage with it. Because: Mainly your attitude determines the success of your studies and forms the basis for fulfilling student life. You can only make the most of your time at the university if you approach your new challenge with the right inner attitude.
Plan Your Studies
Do you always have a plan in your head or are you someone who likes to live into the day and lets things come to you? Both are totally okay. During your studies, however, lazy behavior and disoriented studying around can cause bigger problems than you might think. Without a general plan, you miss out on great opportunities, don’t get enough of your studies, and often fall short of your options.
Be Your Own Manager
High demands are placed on today’s first-year students. It is not enough that you are smart, have a quick grasp, and can memorize well. Something else is much more important: You have to be able to organize your entire student life skillfully and keep an overview. You have to manage your studies wisely and look good outside your lectures as well. You are responsible for these tasks – nobody will do them for you.
Time Management
As a student, you have little time. Studying is a full-time job. During the lecture period, you rush from one university event to the next, struggling through scripts and books. You may also have a student job and have to look after your apartment. If you then have to write a thesis or have other obligations, there is even less free time left. After the lectures, it doesn’t get any better, because now the exams are coming. For you that means endlessly long exam preparation, learning to the limit of pain, and a lot of exam stress.
Take Every Exam Seriously
It does not matter how well your semester is going. As soon as exams are coming, the cards are reshuffled. It no longer matters whether your lectures went well, the professor thought your homework was great or you did well in your internship. If you fail your exam phase, a whole academic year will suffer from it.
