Tips for students – how to properly study in a university

Curious situation develops – there are millions of students in the world, most of them yearly experience the same problems and difficulties, but there is practically no information on how to cope with them on the Internet. A dozen pages found through Google educate students about how to properly prepare for exams and persuade the teacher – that’s all! As if student life is limited to exams… Rather, on the contrary – examinations take a very small place in a student’s life: “From session to session, students live happily.”

Therefore, write an article about how to achieve success in the university and in general, how to make sure that five (from someone six) years of study did not go to hell, just necessary.

Board number zero. I start from scratch, because the council is addressed to graduates of schools and applicants. Usually at the end of the 11th grade, schoolchildren begin a natural fever: take the final exams (well, the USE), squeeze into the university… The motto of these days is “just to do it anyway”. This is an extremely harmful and wrong approach. At 17 years, few people think about the importance of choosing a place of study – and in vain, because this has a weak influence on the rest of life. Therefore, I suggest that applicants (if any read the article) answer several questions:

1. Why do I go to this university? What do I expect from my studies?
2. What will I do after the university? How was the knowledge or acquaintance I received at this university helped me in my studies?
3. Where would I go if I knew exactly what I would do?
4. Where is it worth to do, given my answers to the previous three questions?

Board number one. So, you entered the university, you disaccustomed there for the first week, you do not confuse the names and patronymics of the teachers and are informed where you can intercept the piece between the pairs. Perfectly! And now it’s time to stop and think. For simplicity, I again offer the following questions:

1. What has changed in my attitude to this institution? What new (and important) did I learn about him?
2. What can this institution give me in terms of knowledge? How and where are his graduates arranged?
3. What kind of knowledge can this institution give me? Dating and communication? Experience in social activities? Starting a scientific career?

It is important that you answer these questions as soon as possible and determine the most honestly the main thing: how is education related to your life goals. Very often the student comes to the understanding that he slightly missed, choosing a university or faculty. Very often he understands that studying is unpromising. Do not hide from such thoughts. You should always fully understand the situation.

Tip number two. Your further actions depend on the answer to the questions in the previous paragraph. Here are some of the most likely ways:

Situation A: you understand that studying at a given institution of higher learning can really give you enough practical and theoretical knowledge, at senior courses students undergo internships and practice in good organizations and study here definitely makes sense. Well, then everything is simple. Select the items that you will need for work after graduation and understand them properly. On the others, pay just as much attention as necessary, so that there are no unnecessary “tails”.

Situation B: everything is exactly the opposite.

• If you spent a mute time (you found that the university does not suit you on the first course) – go to another one. It is better to lose a year than 5.
• If the time has gone by the order, it may not be too reasonable to change the place of study.

Board number three. What to do if the university does not suit you, but change it late?

I in due time (unfortunately, it was already on 4 course…) sketched for myself such program of actions:

1. Minimize the loss of time at the university.
2. To squeeze out of your home university everything that is possible, since it does not turn out to get good knowledge.
3. To forget that I am a student and find myself another, more useful business, to which I will devote the maximum of time and energy.
4. Studying at the university is perceived as a training in wit (taking exams without preparation), effective communication (persuading especially evil teachers to let go of a couple) and self-discipline (sit on mandatory pairs).

All this in principle, it turned out well for me. Here are a few examples.

Minimizing the loss of time:

at the beginning of the semester I made a rating of teachers – who can skip as much as possible without consequences – and skip accordingly;

I caught a cold, ran to the polyclinic, made tired eyes and complained of weakness – and eventually received a coveted reference, allowing me a week or two to do my own thing;

unlike the lectures, I attended the seminars carefully and did not shut up on them talking – that with some skill it’s quite simple. Teachers in the head clicked the lever “active student” and press the button “put the machine” became easy;

in the fifth year (late, late…), I slightly engaged, as it is now called, social activities – there was another excellent excuse for all occasions.

Squeezing everything out of the university that you can:

• increased scholarship – by itself (automatic A-grades and a beautiful record-book helped);
• permit to the south;
• Dating and communication.

For the last two courses I also worked in places 6-7, grabbed a dozen certificates and diplomas in different competitions outside the university, managed to start (and fail, that it is natural) my business project, as well as “pump out” self-confidence, the ability to communicate and speak publicly, manage time. The only thing I regret about – I started to walk too late and for too long was an exemplary student. That would start on the second course!

In general, the main advice for students who would like to give, does not shine with originality, but will, perhaps, be the only correct one:

This advice: treat your studies consciously. Always clearly understand your long-term goals and follow them, even if it interferes with your studies. Your goals are more important!