10 things i wished i knew before i went to college

What I wished I knew before I started college 

First of all, college is not what it looks like in movies. It’s more than that

I am a 3rd-year college student studying industrial chemistry at a public university. When I first went to college, I thought everything will work out the way I wanted to be at the end, I have to give up some things. If you’re someone that is going to college very soon or is already in college then this post is a must-read for you because I will be talking about 10 things I wished I knew before I went to college 

1. Going to class early and always is very important 

I know nothing is better than that early morning sleep but going to class a bit earlier is very important because you get to get a front seat. If you’re someone like me that loves to sit at the back while I was in high school, you have to change that. Sitting in front has a lot of advantages some of them are:

• Your note will always be up to date because you can see the board/projector very clearly 
• You will be more focused because there are no distractions in the front. 
• Asking questions will be so much easier for you because you’re quite closer to the lecture 
• You will get to meet some serious students and make friends with them and even have a studying partner 

2.Your choice of friends matter 

I never knew this was important till like my second year when some of my friends got withdrawn because their CGPA wasn’t up to what was required in the first year.

there is a saying that goes

if you want to know the kind of person someone is, look at his friends

and I can’t agree more with this. If your circle of friends are those that love to read, want to ace all their class, have an academic goal, you will also find yourself trying to be better, always following them to the library to study and more focused. But if your friends are those that love to party all weekend and always going out, you will find yourself in the same situation. 

I have a mixture of both kinds of friends but I know how to hang out with them all and you should do the same. You’re in school to study and that should be your main priority.

3.start studying on time

Don’t wait until the week you have exams before you start trying to cover everything you learned from the beginning of the semester. Honey, you’re just not going to make it. Okay maybe you will but with a C. 

What I love to do is to study every night before I go to bed. I make sure I revised what I was thought that day and jot down key points in a separate note and then study for the classes we have the following day just to refresh my memory. By doing this, I can retain the information in my head and during the exam period, I don’t get overwhelmed with what I need to cover.

4.study past questions 

This is where hot tea is! Idk about your school but in my school, 80% of the exam questions are past questions. This is a hidden gem that a lot of students don’t know about but I am spilling the tea for you (can I get a share for that?) Always try to gather at least 3 years past questions and try and study them all as you’re preparing for your exams. It is also a great way to judge yourself and see if you’re ready for the exams or not. These are usually available in the library or are sold around the school. Make sure you utilize past questions papers.

5.make friends with the senior year students in the same department as you

 

This is very important. Try to be friends with some of the seniors in your department because it’s quite important. They might help you with some of their course materials that will help you in your next year or even in your first year. They will also help you in choosing your courses.

6.make sure you have a timetable 

Having a timetable will help you become more organized and productive. I will advise you to have a study timetable to help you read more and stay up to date. 

7.learn to save money 

This is a must. Learn to save those coins! Every month I always try to save a portion of my monthly allowance. It’s always a good idea to save money because you will not know when you will need it urgently. The saving app I am currently using is called Cowrywise. I love it because it helps me to lock my money for a certain amount of time. That way, I can’t withdraw it and use it for something useless. If you’re Nigerian, Here is N250 naira to start your saving journey. 

8.never be shy to ask for help 

Always ask for help when you need it. They are a lot of people willing to help you. Just make sure you’re asking the right people for help 

9.stay in the hostel/dorm for the first year

Most people don’t like to stay in the hostel but I will advise you to stay there Atleast your first year. You will get to know the school more and you won’t miss all the freshers’ welcome party. While you’re there, you can take your time to look for an apartment nearby that you will love to stay in the following year.

10.just have fun 

In the end, you shouldn’t allow yourself to be very stressed in your first year. Go out, make new friends and have fun. After all, that might be the only time you will have a lot of leisure time to enjoy.

That’s the end of this post. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did while writing it. Don’t forget to share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram with your loved ones. 

Are you a fresher? What do you love about your college so far?

If you’ve been to college for some time now like me, what are some lessons you learned in your first year? Let me know all about it in the comments section.