Four tips to prepare for your college experience

Four tips to prepare for your college experience

Are you a first-year student or a parent of a first-year student? Making the transition from high school to college can be difficult.  Diane Brockman, senior lecturer of psychology at Messiah College, shares four important tips to consider while preparing for your first day of school—and a great four years!

1. Go to class.

It sounds very basic, but for many students who are on their own for the first time, the temptation to skip class can be great, especially since there really isn’t anyone to hold you accountable for going to class. College is very expensive and you really want to try to get the most out of your money. On average, each college class will cost about $100, so it is expensive to skip! While you are there, be an active participant in class – sit toward the front, do your reading before class, participate in class discussion, and ask for clarification about topics you don’t understand.

2. Get to know your professors.

Professors frequently offer office hours to help answer questions and go over class materials. Go to the office hours and speak to them after class. Especially if you start struggling in a class, you want to talk to the professor right away before things get too overwhelming in the class. If you are struggling in the class, look for other on-campus resources like the Writing Center or a Tutoring Center that may be able to help you.

3. Protect your study time.

Give yourself designated times when you will turn off your phone, disable your internet connection on your laptop,  turn off Netflix and just set aside uninterrupted time to study. It has always been easy to get distracted while away at college; however, there are now many more things that can distract us. Social media is designed to keep you scrolling – don’t do it! Study first; use social media later.

4. Make your education count.

Get involved in research, internships and volunteer work relevant to your discipline. You want to do something more than just show up and go to class. This will make you more marketable after your graduate, whether it is for a job or graduate school, because you will have that experience that a lot of other students may not have.

This year, make the most out of your education by prioritizing these simple, four steps.