Coming into college, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. No amount of college prep videos or articles could compensate for the lack of knowledge I had. I knew there were some attitudes and routines I had to implement into my daily college life but had no idea how to actually do it. Here are some things I’ve managed to figure out within the two months I’ve been at Cabrini.
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Cramming in college isn’t the same as cramming in highschool: Let’s get one thing straight- cramming, in general, isn’t necessarily a smart idea if you can avoid it. You’d be surprised how many times I’ve caught myself trying to cram a 3-hour study session into the final 30 minutes of my day. It’s exhausting and unproductive! Receiving A’s in college actually takes work and requires you to put in the work. As a freshman at Cabrini, the College Success seminars you are required to take provide wonderful resources to help you succeed here.
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Just because you woke up at 8am for your high school classes, doesn’t mean you can handle that 8am on Tuesday: This statement may not apply to you, but it definitely applies to me and some others. I wish someone would have told me this before I decided to take an 8am class. That’s why it’s important to actually have a good idea of when you’re going to sleep. Building a routine and having time management has never been so important until now. It’s easy to get lost in all the time you have between, before, and after classes. Use it efficiently!
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Someone two seats away is just as confused as you are, it’s okay: I’ll admit, I’m not too confident in 98% of my classes when it comes to answering a professor’s question. Let me know if this has happened to you: A question is presented to the class, but you’re a little hesitant to answer this one because you don’t want to seem like ‘that’ student. No one wants to be ‘that’ student who gets the question wrong, right? Then the professors share the answer and it’s the one you’ve had in your head this whole time! So now you feel silly for even doubting yourself. Even if you’re answer is wrong, that’s okay! It’s okay to be wrong. You’re not expected to have all the answers. Your job as a student is to learn.
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Printing! If you’re transferring or just new to the campus, then pay a visit to the Holy Spirit Library and take advantage of the free printing. Some schools may charge or give you a limit on your prints, whereas printing here remains free.
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Choosing between 'one more episode' and your homework: I have been in too many situations where I opted out of homework to finish one more episode of whatever was on Netflix. Then immediately regretting it when test day comes or the professor may count the homework as a quiz. Limit your screen time!
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This is not the time to play catch up: It’s surprisingly easy to compare yourself to the next person in the room. It’s easy to get caught up in it and have it control every aspect of your college experience. Everyone is here to grow and receive an education. It’s not a race or competition to see who’s the smartest.