Keys to Sophomore Success
Making the transition from high school to university is no easy task. In fact, I had to forget most of my habits and perceptions of school that I had gained in previous years. In the two years that I have attended the University of Guelph, I have learned some tips and tricks that have made me successful in completing four semesters. My outlook on particular classes is not in terms of pass or fail; I interpret them in terms of survival. Let’s face it, nobody likes to fail. That can very detrimental to the ego, and with the prices of tuition, who can really afford to fail these days? That is why I am passing along my five keys to achieving success in University
1. Go to class/seminar!
Seldom will anyone monitor your attendance in your lectures and seminars in University. For some reason students seem to think that by habitually skipping classes they will somehow magically be successful in that course. No matter how in-depth you read your textbook or how much you have paid for copious notes off colleagues, nothing can replace the value of lecture information from a professor or GTA. I understand that getting up for that 8:30 am class Tuesday morning after dollar beers night at Trappers the night before can be a daunting task, (I would know) but you’ve just got to bite the bullet and drag yourself up to the Mackinnon building that morning at attend your seminar.
2. Don’t take notes from your textbook!
Now a lot of people are going to read that statement and think I am crazy. But what I find crazy is regurgitating sentence after sentence off of a page in a textbook to your note book. The author has already been paid to write it, so why are you re-writing it? Instead of transferring the material from one surface to another surface, take the time to learn the content. Anybody can memorize and reproduce a theory that someone has conceptualized, but the truly successful are able to understand that theory and apply it correctly. My advice would be to read your text, ask questions in lecture and prepare your notes as if you were delivering this same topic to a room elementary age students. This will help you to better understand the concepts better and act as a form of studying.
3. Get involved!
I cannot stress this point enough. University is focused mainly around the content in the lecture halls, but the experiences you gain outside the lecture hall will last a lifetime. By getting involved in clubs, associations and intramurals you can network with students with many diverse backgrounds. This is, not to mention a great stress buster, especially when you feel like the walls are closing in and you will never see the light of day again because of all those assignments and papers. My stress buster is Badminton and for those nan-sayers, it is the greatest sport in the world and an excellent stress buster. Involving yourself with the culture of the school also is very rewarding in the sense that you are making your mark on the University.
4. Get to know your professors!
The single greatest lesson I have learned in my short tenure at Guelph is that you need to get to know your professors. I know it is intimidating at first to do but most professors are very welcoming of students and selfless. Professors are the greatest asset a student can have in University. Not only can you approach them for help or direction on course content, many times they will share their personal experiences with you and even offer the occasional reference.
5. Don’t study during exams/midterms!
As crazy as this sounds, it’s very true. Some people I know like to cram right before the test. For some this works, but for most it does not. When I say don’t study during exams and midterms I mean begin studying way before that. The earlier that you begin your studying regiment, the lighter the load will be as the test date approaches. Instead of wearing yourself down right before the exam you can relax, and be more prepared when it finally arrives if you have followed this method. Take a little portion of the content to review each night, thus eliminating a back log of information resulting in all-nighters!
I realize everyone is unique in their own ways and by no means by following these steps does it mean you’re going to achieve 100% in every class now. Mastering university is a fine art that constantly needs to be crafted and tweaked to achieve success. I know I am still learning, and with every passing year I am slowly drawing closer to championing my results.
