How to Succeed in College? 

You’ve been accepted, chosen your courses and have your supplies ready to go—now what? It’s go time, which means hello lectures, assignments and exams. You’ll have a lot on the go but we’re confident you can succeed in your studies and have fun. 

Ready to learn how to succeed in college? We’ve broken down ways you can succeed in your studies and personally. Read on for our tips on how to make the most of your experience! 

 

How to succeed in your studies

 

1. Keep yourself organized 

If there’s any tip that rules them all, this might be it. The key to succeeding in all aspects of college is to keep yourself organized. If you can learn to manage your time, you’ll feel less overwhelmed and will have enough time to get everything done. 

So how can you stay organized? For one, write everything down. Buy a planner, calendar or use an app to keep track of your due dates and assignments. Make study checklists, and even include chores like doing laundry or tidying up your space. You’ll feel good being able to check those little tasks off your list along with your studying. 

If you’re interested in more tips on how to be productive, check out this blog post.

 

2. Go to class

Yes, sleeping in until noon sounds nice but you should really make an effort to go to class. You’re paying for college for a reason and being present gives you an opportunity to ask questions, understand the material and share ideas. 

 

3. If you miss class, get notes from a classmate

You may miss the occasional class if you’re sick or have another appointment—it happens. If you can’t make it to the lecture, make sure you have someone reliable who can share the notes with you. 

 

4. Connect with your peers 

College isn’t only about the books, right? It’s also a great time to meet new people and build friendships. Most colleges have extracurricular clubs or student groups you can join to meet people. Or if big groups aren’t your thing, why not say hi to the person you’re sitting beside in class? If you find a study buddy, you can help inspire and motivate each other.

You can also check out our blog post for tips on how to make friends in college. 

 

5. Give yourself breaks

As important as it is to keep on top of your studies, it’s just as important to give yourself breaks to recharge. While studying for eight hours straight sounds productive, you likely won’t be fully productive for even half of that time if you don’t take a break. 

If you want some structure to your breaks, try the Pomodoro Technique. Here’s how it works:

1. Pick a task to work on.
2. Set a 25 minute “pomodoro” timer. 
3. Get to work! 
4. When the timer ends, stop working and put a checkmark on a piece of paper. 
5. If you have fewer than four checkmarks on your paper, take a 3-5 minute break then go back to step 2. 
6. After four “pomodoros,” take a 15-30 minute break, reset your checkmarks then start again at step 1. 

 

You can modify this timer as you wish but it’s always a good idea to allocate time for breaks as you study! 

 

How to succeed personally 

 

1. Eat healthy

College is busy—we get it. It’s easy to order a pizza and call it a day but you should still prioritize healthy eating while you’re in school. An easy way to stay on top of your meals is meal prepping. If you’re living at home or renting, try to spend part of one day a week prepping meals so you have lunches (and even some dinners) ready to go for the week. If you live in residence and have to eat at the school cafeteria, try to include vegetables in every meal and keep some healthy variety in your diet. It’s okay to indulge once in a while but it’s all about balance.

 

2. Get enough sleep

On average, most adults need between seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Make sleep a priority and schedule your studying around it. While the late-night study grind may seem appealing, your body won’t be as happy the next day. When you take care of your body, you will feel more energized and ready to tackle your work! 

 

3. Drink water

We need to drink about eight glasses of water a day to stay hydrated. Try drinking one glass an hour to help you remember, or always carry a bottle with you. Buy a reusable water bottle that brings you joy and drinking water will be easier. 

 

4. Don’t sweat the small stuff

Remember to enjoy yourself while you’re in college. Things will change when you enter the workforce so it’s important to soak up these moments, which brings us to our next tip…

 

5. Make time for some fun

Most people only go to college once, so make the most of it! Make time for studying and also make time for fun. Socialize with friends and go to campus events! You’ll be happy you did. 

 

Now you’ve got some tips on how to succeed in college! If you’re also interested in tips on how to prepare for college, check out this blog post.