Pre-College Advice: The Secret to Success at Any University
Many people say that college will be the best time of your life. And I'm now starting to appreciate their nostalgia. Looking back on those four years, I have to say they were indeed very special. For most people, myself included, college is the first time truly living away from home, separated from family and lifelong friends. You’re on your own, yet with no real worries or “adult” responsibilities, surrounded by people your own age in an extremely fun environment.
Not your typical college party
I’ll be perfectly honest, during the first few months it almost feels like you’ve been released from a cage you never even knew existed. Making tons of new friends. Engaging in crazy little adventures that lead to even crazier stories. Attending countless parties and get-togethers that make a high school social life bound by curfew seem like a long forgotten blur. But more than anything else, there is essentially ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY for how you manage your time. From the outside looking in, this may not seem like a big deal. But trust me when I say that how you prioritize your time will absolutely mean the difference between looking back fondly on college and looking back with regrets. And you don’t want regrets. You don’t want to be that guy/gal that thinks, “if only I hadn’t gone to that one party and had studied for my midterm instead.….” Those few grades really can be the difference maker between getting the internship you want, landing that great first job, or getting accepted to the graduate school of your choice. Whatever Netflix show/videogame/TV drama/new movie is your preferred time-waster, it can wait; it’s not going anywhere. The bars and clubs downtown are not going anywhere. But your grades are, and they can make a significant difference for your future, which lasts far longer than the four years you spend in college.
Before you freak out, I’m not by any means trying to scare you and claim that you have to study all the time and curtail the fun. That would be ridiculous. And also a blatant lie, because I didn’t do that at all. What I did do was realize that if I wanted to have a great time while simultaneously getting good grades, I had to prioritize accordingly. The honest two-word secret to success in college is TIME MANAGEMENT. But that's much easier said than done. Unfortunately I didn’t fully understand this lesson until after my freshman year was already over.