Are you a freshman who is not sure how to make it through your first semester? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there, and in this article, we will give you some simple yet effective tips on how to become a successful student.
Be Your Own Boss
During your school days, several people see themselves as your bosses, be it your teachers or your parents. This influence will decrease significantly at university because no one really has access to you anymore – your parents are no longer within reach (or can’t really have a say) and your professors don’t want to and can’t play your boss at all.
So, you have to take on that role. You are responsible for yourself and your company “Studies”. It is up to you when you get up, whether you go to university, when you start studying, how often you go to parties and how much you drink there.
Be a good boss, motivate yourself, be responsible and have fun – always make sure that you don’t endanger your studies, but rather advance them.
Split Energy
School material is usually broken up into nice, small chunks and presented by the teacher in bite-size form. The subject matter at the university has a completely different scope and you get input in a much shorter time – and that can cost a lot of energy.
So be careful with yourself and your energy reserves. Pick up the material, think of a good filing system in which to put your lecture and study materials, and work through everything bit by bit. Make a realistic schedule for yourself by determining when you will work on which content and learn. Don’t wait until the last minute, because then you won’t have a chance to proceed according to a sensible plan.
Think about how you want to proceed at an early stage and start working on your learning materials in such a way that you find time to relax and don’t end up drowning in acute stress. Then you won’t run out of breath so quickly and you will have enough energy to perform at your best.
Give Yourself A Break
The school gives you a break system. In addition, it usually ends around noon, so that you still have enough time for your hobbies in the late afternoon or evening. And during the holidays you go on vacation as a matter of course. The structure of the university quickly tempts you to cram through the whole day, never find an end to it in the evening and neglect your leisure activities.
Consciously look for space for small or large breaks in between. This can be the hour of the day when you read, do sports, meet friends, cook or do other non-study-related activities. Or, thinking a bit bigger, the time out between the exam phase and the next semester, during which you go on vacation or just do whatever you feel like doing at home without thinking about your studies.
Breaks from studying are important and should definitely be part of your planning. And remember that there are people like summary makers who will help you out with some of the assignments so that you would have more time.
Plan For The Long Term
What is also done for you in school is planning. You go from year to year, from lower to middle to high school, until you finally reach your goal. Everything is pre-planned – you don’t have to worry about anything.
There is also a ready-made goal at university, your degree. Unlike at school, however, it depends very much on you at what time and with what requirements you achieve the goal of the degree. So, plan your way in the long term. Obtain a study plan and adapt it to your own needs.
Only with the help of flexible and individual planning can you study independently and successfully.
Forgiving Yourself
Mistakes are punished at school – with a red pen, point deductions, and bad grades. And at home, there are also a few serious words, depending on the situation. You will not be able to deal with your mistakes in a self-determined manner.
Wrong answers in exams are of course punished during your studies and lead to a worse evaluation of your performance. But it is important that you learn to forgive yourself at university at the latest. Because everyone makes mistakes. They are a natural part of your learning process. In the end, the decisive difference is how you deal with them.
So don’t hold grudges against yourself, learn from your mistakes, and just do better the next time you try. Practice letting goes and moving forward.
Conclusion
It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been studying for a long time or are about to start your studies: You won’t be taught the basics for a successful university career at school. You don’t get taught it at all, you have to find out for yourself how studying works.
As a student, you are responsible for yourself. You decide where your path should go and how you want to shape it.
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