Entering an undergraduate program at college can be a big transition. In many cases, it’s when you move away from home, make your own schedule, and start taking classes that match your future plans. By the time they enter college, typical students are 18 years old, which in the United States is when they are legally recognized as an adult. All of these changes mean you have a lot more freedom in your life. But, with that freedom comes stress and responsibilities you may not anticipate.
Many college freshmen find it difficult to keep up, and it’s not easy to continue after your first year. In the US, 28 percent of students drop out after their freshman year of college. For many students, money is an issue, and they’re working during college to pay tuition. If you’re stressed about staying above water in college because you’re overwhelmed or working a job, you can do a few things to keep up.
Focus on your note-taking style
If you’re finding it difficult to keep up in class because you can’t remember information during lecture sessions, you may have to reevaluate the way you take notes. Everyone learns differently, so this tip may take some trial and error. One proven way is by writing all your notes by hand. Sure, typing notes up on your laptop may seem easier, but typing on a laptop has its own distractions. Unless your school doesn’t have Wi-Fi access on campus, you could be tempted to scroll through the internet instead of paying attention to the information being taught in class. Handwriting your notes can actually help you commit them to memory better. If you have a stronger memory of your notes from class, chances are you’ll do better on exams and improve your grade point average.
Buy yourself time
They say money can’t buy happiness, but money can buy you time. If you find yourself truly scrambling to make due dates and keeping up with projects, you could pay a service to finish an assignment for you. For instance, if you have a deadline coming up but need to make time for other work, you could buy an essay at Ultius, a service that guarantees originality and matches you to a writer who will consider all your requirements. Ultius also offers free revisions if you’re not satisfied with the product you receive at first. This gives you the flexibility to make sure any work you turn in is perfectly up to your standards. This service also runs a full Copyscape check on the essay you buy to make sure that no part of it was plagiarized, so you won’t be wasting your money. With the time saved by buying an essay from a writing service, you can devote time to studying for other courses or to fulfilling duties for your job or family.
Don’t neglect your mental health
One last tip to make sure you’re keeping up in college is looking after your mental health. You’re a person and not a robot, after all, so you have to make sure that efficiency isn’t the only thing you’re worried about. Make sure you schedule yourself some downtime so that you can see friends, try new things, and indulge in hobbies you’re passionate about. Also, if you feel trapped by your mental state, it could be worth looking into whether your school has a mental wellness center. The rates of anxiety and depression in college-aged people has gone up, which makes it more important than ever that you know how to find help if you need it.
