Many students are interested in the tips and strategies aimed at overcoming some flaws in the process of studying. However, have you ever thought about that problem more globally? Specifically, what is the biggest mistake that a college student can make if not considering the ordinary grammatical, content, and spelling mistakes as well as fallacies in knowledge? Read on to find out if you are interested in this matter.
Most students have those little things that they know they should not do, but they cannot get rid of them. Check out some of the worst students’ bad habits that you can develop at college and learn how to bounce back from them:
Most college students think that they can miss more than six lectures in each course and still do well. Nevertheless, you should be a responsible student and attend all classes regularly.
It is important for students to sign up for the standard course load. You should not load up on as many courses as the college allows.
Many students avoid doing a task that needs to be accomplished. They tend to put off the papers until the last possible minute and pull all-nighters before an exam. You should remember that careful planning and time management are extremely important for college success.
Doing it alone
Students often shy away from meeting their professors or assistant teacher. They are too scared to communicate with professors because they think they do not want to see them. You should understand that professors are required to hold twice-weekly office hours and they are happy to help you do well in their course. That is why they went into teaching, after all.
Social media addiction
Students often spend long hours chatting on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Then they usually complain that they do not have enough time for studying. You should develop a habit to log out of your different social network accounts every time you are planning to study for a lesson or a test.
Depend too much on others
If you want to be treated as a young adult, then you need to act as one. This does not mean that you should not seek help when you really need it. Rather, it means that too often students do not know how to solve some problems themselves.
Not using your student discount
Some of the most widespread college mistakes are when students forget to use their student discounts. Specifically, with the help of your student ID, you can become aware of the possible student discounts offered to you. So, try not to forget your student ID at home even while you are shopping because there may be many appealing offers when it comes to shopping.
Moreover, have you ever got to know that you can save money on your MacBook or can buy Amazon Prime with a student discount? Such special offers are given to students and it is one of the common college freshmen mistakes to overlook this information and fail to use the discounts. There may be a lot of perks waiting for you out there, so grab your student ID whenever you go out shopping or plan to use some services.
Not building a network
The biggest mistake that a college student can make is ignoring the opportunity of expanding your network. Many students are biased as they reckon that networking is essential only when you are already working. However, that is not definitely true since building a network while still at college is an invaluable asset when you will be searching for a job. As such, the network will help you find a job when needed. One of the best ways to build networks is to register your account on LinkedIn.
Using clichés in your paper
The biggest mistake that a college student can make while writing an essay or any other type of academic paperwork is to start the piece of writing with some famous quotation. Some students think that it adds more plausibility or sense to the main idea but, in essence, it is one of the most outdated ways to start your piece of writing. Clichéd phrases and quotes make your essay not unique or original. When noticing such an introduction, your professor will just roll his eyes with disappointment. If you wonder what phrases are considered to be clichéd, these are the following:
- from time immemorial;
- from the dawn of man;
- in this day and age;
- in the modern era;
- in the current climate;
- over history.
Shortly, these are the things not to do in college if you want to submit a high-quality essay deserving an excellent mark. If you contact our professional custom writing service, our top-quality writers will help you write an original paper from scratch according to your requirements and without any clichéd phrases.
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Not taking better care of your health
If you wonder what not to do in college, be sure that it is not taking care of your health state and overall well-being. When students are in their early 20s, they usually take their health for granted: they think that it is not a big deal to stay up at night studying, to have insufficient sleep or to exert mercilessly in the gym. However, as students become older and turn 23, 25, 27, and are then in their 30s, they feel that they have exhausted their resources and cannot be productive at their work. Some other consequence is when an unhealthy lifestyle, for example, irregular sleeping hours and fast food eating can catch them up with extra weight and problems with their bones and muscles. So, always take advantage of any gyms or sports sections that you can find nearby.
Not getting enough sleep
Students have a busy lifestyle: studying, doing homework, being engaged in extracurricular activities, attending parties, staying up late preparing for the exams, etc. It would be great if one could find time for relaxation and sufficient sleeping in-between all of these activities. So, if your alarm clock goes off and you cannot get up from your bed, be sure that your body is craving for sufficient rest and relaxation.
According to a recent study, more than 60% of students currently studying at college or university programs complain about dizziness and sleepiness on a daily basis. The core reason is the lack of sleep. Apart from grave results within the realm of studying, such as lower GPA, skipping classes, bad mood, and the lack of motivation, students also suffer from negative health effects. Specifically, they have problems with eating habits, problems with maintaining healthy weight balance, weakened immune system, anxiety, stress, and even the risk of developing mental health issues. Ignoring healthy sleeping habits can be one of the most common freshman mistakes, so be sure you are well aware of it.
Not asking enough questions
One of the mistakes college students make that lead to their poor performance is that they do not ask questions if they cannot understand some material. This tendency has an accumulating effect: first, they do not understand one topic, then the other, then one more, and so on. As a result, students suffer from studying problems in that they cannot cope with many academic assignments. However, if a student just asked about the issues, he/ she did not know about and if he/ she cooperated with professors, these problems and difficulties could have been overcome. So, it is recommended to pay attention to the gaps in knowledge and consult teachers, tutors, and teaching counselors for help.
Partying too hard or too often
Students frequently expect the life of a party animal when they enter college or university. However, life holds some other surprises for them: normally a lot of time is spent on studying and preparation for exams and other tasks. If you choose to party instead of studying, you will have to bear responsibility for the results since you will not have sufficient time for sample preparation.
Not joining a club or organization on campus
College is not limited to acquiring education and getting a diploma. It is equally important to interact and communicate with other students, take part in extracurricular activities, and joining some clubs on campus. Do not spend time merely studying: participate in sports activities, find new acquaintances, and so on.
Not exploring your interests
Imagine a situation: you have decided to major in law and you have successfully enrolled in Law school or have chosen some Law studying program. You are happy about that and you have already met your academic supervisor or advisor and have set the studying plan. However, you have always been passionate about creating things, specifically ceramics, but you will that it would be a waste of time to join some ceramics class as you need to focus on academia.
This approach is wrong. You need to have some space for doing things you love and that you are passionate about. Always take classes if you expect to have a lot of fun and derive pleasure and enjoyment from them.
Not studying for finals
Your classmates may say that studying for the final exams does not pay off and it is far better to spend that time on partying or doing something enjoyable. Nonetheless, if you want to have a good academic reputation, keep in mind that you will have to put in some effort if you want to succeed. Make sure you manage your time properly and find sufficient time for exam preparation. Whenever it is a final test, a project or a presentation, always get ready for this kind of work.
College student life is full of interesting events, unforgettable moments and fun. We hope our tips will help you to avoid developing bad habits and to become a successful student and get the most out of your college years!