8 Tips for Being a Successful College Student this Semester

We all want to be successful in the new year. The new year brings new goals, fresh starts, and for students, a new semester. As a second-year college student (who will graduate in 2018, crazy!!) I’ve learned a thing or two about being a successful student. In today’s post, I’m sharing 8 of my best tips for being a successful college student in this new semester.

My Best Tips for Being a Successful College Student:

 1. Start fresh.

Organize binders, folders, notebooks (or whatever you prefer to use for notes) for each class, and/or create new folders on your computer for each of your courses. Add your syllabuses to your folders (physical or on your computer) so that you have them for easy reference.

2. Figure out what additional materials will be useful for you.

What textbooks do you need? I recommend checking Amazon first. I’ve rented most of my books on Amazon for a fraction of the cost. Do you have friends in your classes or friends who have taken the classes you’re in who could help you if you need it? Did the teacher mention any additional resources that are beneficial for the class? Make note of these things to help your future self.

3. Review your course syllabuses.

Professors always say that most of the questions they get are regarding things already on the syllabus… So help yourself out and actually read them! Make notes of things like whether exams are cumulative, major due dates, and whether extra credit is available. This information will be helpful later in the course, but you may forget to check the syllabus after the first week of classes.

4. Get in the habit of arriving early to class!

Being a successful anything boils down to healthy habits. Arriving early to class is always a good thing, and relates to Tip #8!

5. Try to introduce yourself to at least one professor (or *bonus* all of them!).

It can be intimidating just to walk up and say hi on the first day, but most of the time, the effort is what really counts, and it’ll help when the professor can put a name to your face if you need help later on.

6. Create healthier routines and habits.

Like I said in #4, healthy habits are the key to success. Be it waking up earlier, going to bed earlier, making your coffee the night before (I do this to let it cool in the fridge to make it iced in the morning!), laying out your outfit for the next day – find the little things you can do to better prepare for tomorrow!

7. Put power in your to-do list.

What does that mean exactly? It means making your to-do’s and daily plans more than just lists on paper. Erica Ligenza (one of my fave bloggers of all time) describes this really well in this post when she talks about ‘action items’. Add in smaller steps or easily-attainable-actions leading up to your bigger goals. Actually getting the things done you say you’ll get done will help keep you on track and more motivated!

8. Get to know your class route.

Maybe it’s just me, but I make a habit of finding the nearest restroom and water fountain to all my classes in each different building, and I also try to find at least one good sitting/studying spot near my classrooms for hanging out or getting some work done before my classes start.

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That’s all for today! I hope you’ve enjoyed this tips for being a successful college student this semester. What tip was your favorite? What’s your favorite personal tip for success this semester? Drop me a comment below!