Where are mine? Why don't I have any? I hope I'm not alone in the fact that college is nothing but a struggle. A lot of ups & downs, but mostly downs in a sense. Academically, mentally, and emotionally. Lack of direction? Motivation? Maybe it's a lil' bit of everything. I understand college isn't supposed to be a breeze, but I'm (hopefully not just me) looking for tips and advice to do better in school. PM for more personal stuff (I'd prefer, I guess) and hopefully we can all help each other out.
On a side note: I'm planning on transferring from a CSU to a CC to finish out some missed credits, and then transfer once again to a different CSU. Any advice, tricks, or things that aren't painstakingly obvious I should know about before I go through with this whole process? Much appreciation.
Some of this may seem like common sense or rigid but I think it's helpful.
Academically:
I don't know in what year of college you are but the last 2 are more fun than the 1st 2. Fresh & Soph years are still dominated by core subjects, not major related subjects. That makes it seem like high school and can be arduous after finishing HS. So, just hang in there if it's still early.
Some people I knew eased their study load by taking earning a credit in the summer, thus allowing them to take less during the year.
Cater your work to the type of learner you are. Some people do better with a little background noise, others in groups or w/ partners, others will plenty of self-made visual aids.
Mentally:
Be selective in the parties you attend. It was my experience that the students who lived for the weekends struggled much more and sometimes flunked out. You do need to let off steam but be cautious. Also, alcohol can be a big stumbling block. I have never touched the stuff and the things I saw it do to kids in college was a big reason why I persist in that.
Don't get involved in too much drama. I'm not suggesting being insensitive to your friends but don't let them cloud your goals with too much "he said/she said" garbage. Also, the guideline of being selective also applies to your dating life. The people who spend copious amonts of time working to hook-up with everything on two legs often don't have the time and energy needed to do well in class.
Emotionally:
Exercise! I enjoyed my college's gym but I found it even more helpful to go to an off-campus one. Feeling like I had a place to go where I could find balance, away from the campus was invaluable.
Don't sweat the details. As a few people in this thread already stated, just pass and don't feel like you need to be an honor student. In the 13 years since I graduated, I have never had a potential employer ask me anything other than a) if I had proof of graduation b) my major. Do your best but the important piece of the puzzle is the diploma.