11 Genius Tips To Make The Most Of Your College Experience

“Most of my professors would put their notes online, so whenever I had time I would copy them down BEFORE the class (pen and paper). Then I knew what the prof was talking about during class. It made it easier to ask questions if I had any, and it forced me to go over the information twice. Never spent hours cramming in the library.” — pantone_cyan

“Find a way to combine the material you’re learning in different classes to save on study time. For example, you’re taking a history class and an English class. Study history, and write your English essays on the topic of history you’re studying. Do not however, submit the same paper to two classes. This is considered plagiarism at most universities.” — BrainFameGame

“Make your friends freshman year and be as social as possible for the first year. Sophomore year onwards it’s a lot harder. Everyone’s trying to make friends as a freshman.” — ClearlyXO

“Get to know your professors. Try and get your professors to know who you are beyond a student number and a grade (if they even know that). Professors in small or even large classes/majors are valuable resources for letters of recommendation, additional opportunities (research, limited enrollment classes, independent study, connections, academic advice). Professors whom know – and like you – are more likely to provide you extra help, address an unsatisfactory grade, given academic advice, and etc than student 349431. Not all professors are worth knowing. It’s pretty easy to figure out which professors do not care or do not want to helpful. They may be a researcher whom is required to teach intro bio, an archaic dinosaur whom believes that giving out A’s is heresy, and etc. When you come across an instructor worth knowing, you will know it, and make sure to leave an impression.” — PeaceOfMynd

“For writing essays: don’t start with your introduction. Take the evidence/arguments you have, lay them on a page and connect them in a logical order. Then build your thesis around your evidence, rather than building your evidence around your thesis. Major essay time saver.” — DarkfallDC

“If you have a demanding schedule and have a kitchen, whenever you have free time COOK. AND COOK. AND COOK. Tupperware is my best friend. It’s easier to heat a few dishes up in the microwave than try and cook a whole meal and it’s much healthier to eat a ‘cook’ meal than a handful of cereal and some ramen. Plus, cooking during my free time relaxes me and takes me away from all of my school work!” — robotdebo

“Actually go to class. You’re paying for it, and you’re really shooting yourself in the foot if you don’t attend them. It’s an easy way to make it much, much harder on yourself…” — HungriestOfHippos

“It sounds simple, but ration the time you need to spend on homework/essays (ESPECIALLY essays) a few days prior to the due date. It will keep the stress off, plus give you some wiggle room if something comes up or you need to fix something. So many of my friends stress out pulling all-nighters right before something is due, but life is MUCH easier if things are done in advance.” — phantom83

“Back up your data! Always. Once a week. More often for big projects. Make it a habit. Not to a thumb drive, but to a real dedicated external backup drive. If not, you will have a computer/hard drive failure at some point in your college career and lose everything. Usually right before finals.” — Starfire66

“Learn how to study effectively. Most college students go through high school very easily and never need to study intensely. Find some way that works for you and use it. My personal favorite is to make study guides for whatever I’m studying. Merely writing stuff down helps me to study, and when I’m done I have a concise sheet of things I need to know. Also go out on the weekends. It’s a nice thing to look forward to after a week of hard work.” — cookies32

“Get involved in SOMETHING co-curricular. A club, your student union, greek life, whatever you want as long as you enjoy it. It will help you become a better rounded person, enjoy your time more, and also increase your odds of getting a job post-graduation. Personally, I’m really bad at time management when I have too much free time, so getting involved forced me to manage my time effectively.” — burgundyjoe