Mistakes People Make When Starting College

Have you ever tried something for the first time and felt nervous or intimidated?  Going to college can be a frightening experience.  Just the mere mention of writing essays, preparing presentations and studying for final exams can make anyone nervous. Here are three common mistakes that can impact your ability to be successful at college.

Poor Time Management:

When you are new to college and living on your own – no parents or teachers telling you what to do – it’s up to you  to decide how much time you can spend with friends, how much time you spend studying, how much sleep you will get, etc.  Many students struggle to properly allocate enough time for studying.  This is particularly difficult if you have other commitments such as work, extra-curricular activities, and/or family commitments.   Experts agree you should dedicate, on average, two hours of study time for each instructional hour.

Procrastination/Cutting Classes:

Many students believe in waiting until the last minute to complete an assignment. They don’t start their papers until the eleventh hour and pull “all nighters” in preparation for tests. These students often tell others (and themselves) that they “do their best work under pressure”, but studies show that this is rarely the case. In addition, many students skip classes. They figure they can miss six, eight, ten lectures in each course and still do well.  Unfortunately, this is seldom true.

Over Surfing:

The average college student spends hours each day on Facebook, Twitter, other websites and/or playing video games. Then they complain that they don’t have enough time for studying.  Although it is important to take regular study breaks and relax, too much time wasted can impact your success at college. Time management and organization are key components to college success.

Can you think of any more mistakes people make when starting college?