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Top 10 Tips for Going Back to School

Written by Posted On Thursday, 15 September 2016 12:53

The dampening temperatures mean that school and fall jackets are among us. Many College and University students are heading back for another semester or even their first. We spoke to a group of alumni and asked them to compile their best tips for those going back to school. Here are some of the 10 best:

  1.  Learn discipline and focus- it is very easy to get distracted by partying, drugs and alcohol in the University and College space. Visualize your long term goals and why you are there. At the same time, don’t feel shame about a night out every once in a while. It is human nature to need to space out and chill
  2. Think about Online courses- Some universities, like University Canada West on Canada's west coast offer programs both on-site and on the internet. If you have constraints that don’t allow you to make it to class, consider this valuable avenue.
  3. Take care of your health- Health is wealth and your brain functions much better when it is getting the proper building blocks in the form of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Many schools, including University Canada West, provide state of the art gym facilities.
  4. Get to know your professor- Professors are avenues for many opportunities whether that is in terms of references for on-campus activities or even your first job. Get to know them on a personal level.
  5. Make friends, but not too many – Sometimes when people have a lot of friends they tend to not focus and get to know them well. It can be physically impossible. Focus on who makes you happy and not about being liked by everyone.
  6. Study where you want- Maybe the library isn’t your favourite place. That’s ok. Study in the place that suits your personality.
  7. Keep a schedule- Setup break times but keep your routine. Schedule 10 minutes in the middle of a studying session to just walk around and get some fresh air. You will come back ready to tackle the next item.
  8. Overnighters-  They work for some, they are hell for others. If they do work it is often because they are in the last exam and you can get some well deserved rest during the break. If you pull them back to back they will catch up with you.
  9. Don’t share notes- If you miss one class then be sure to get notes but it is much better to attend the lectures. We all learn in different ways and trying to co-opt the note taking of another human brain is not a good idea.
  10. Have Fun- remember why you are there. These are some of the best times of your lives before the burden of large responsibility takes over. Smile and take it day by day.
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Chris Porteous