What is good advice for a college or university student?

Answer 1

Congratulations for choosing college and getting accepted! Your freshman year is usually harder than high school, because you have to adjust to different study schedules and more information to take in. However, it can also be the most fun, because everything is new and exciting. Here are some tips for you:

• Have a set time to study each day. It doesn't matter if you study in the dorm, the library, or a classroom so long as you have enough time to go over the material (and the proper atmosphere in which to work).
• Keep an eye on your grades. As you become used to college, you will be better able to know how you are doing, but that first year, you will want to watch carefully to be sure you are working hard enough and not doing too much "extracurricular" work.
• Ask for help early. Many freshmen wait until they are already bogged down before they seek help - if anything seems confusing, use the tutors, student assistants, and study labs available.
• Keep a good notebook (there are several "Learning Tips" questions about this, and you can browse this section for more hints). Make a good outline of your material and keep the most pertinent information in the notebook for easy studying.
• Resist the urge to "cram!" Staying up all night before a test means you will be tired and less alert for your important exams. If you study a little bit all along, you won't need to do more than get with a study buddy and quiz each other beforehand.
• Resist the urge to "go all the way." No, I am not talking about THAT "all the way," I am talking about becoming either a party animal or a study-a-holic. Make time in your life for socialization and fun, but not so much that your grades suffer. Believe it or not, your brain is still maturing during college, and socialization is just as important as data - you can still learn mature ways of communication, teamwork, and how to balance your social life with your work.
• Take care of your health. This includes mental health. There are several mental and mood disorders that first appear around college age (Bipolar disorder is one), and many college students are reluctant to seek help for a mental problem. It is also easy to become stressed out and depressed from over-work during your freshman year. If you have feelings of hopelessness or depression, see a counselor; if you are physically ill, see a doctor.
• Don't be too hard on yourself. If you do not do as well in freshman year as you did in high school, that is normal. You will still have three more years in which to pull up your grades. If you are doing your best, don't kick yourself if your grades fall a bit from high school.

Answer 2

One very important good life tip for college teens is to finish college. Other good life tips include eating a healthy diet, drinking in moderation or not at all and exercising frequently. Another good tip is to stay away from drugs.