College Survival Skills

Remember all those horror stories about college you always hear from your older sisters/brothers/seniors about how college life is so complicated and lonely and scary and whatnot? Well, guess what! They are all true (maybe!) but this doesn't mean that you have to succumb to your doom and attend your first semester dragging your feet all around campus! Here's what I've learned during my college years, which seem like light-years ago:

• Take responsible for your own learning - If you think you'd be mollycoddled and spoon-fed just like in high school, think again! Be responsible! Take necessary notes during lectures! Visit the library! Nobody is going to hand you all the answers on a silver platter or remind you when your papers are due. If unclear, ask. As far as I know, lecturers don't bite.
• Building A Good Relationship with the Roomie - Roommates from hell will put a freeze on any hopes for a smooth-sailing first semester...take this from someone who went through seven (or more!) roomies in the span of four years. You don't really need to be friends...just be sure to ask for her/his mobile number. Trust me, it WILL come in handy one day (especially when you accidentally lock yourself out of the room).

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• Time Management - Neither studying or partying is everything. There's a lot more to torturing yourself in the pursuit of excellent grades, and there's certainly a lot more to partying non-stop. Don't let your obsession with either keep you from enjoying college. And one more thing: if you think that four subjects per semester is a breeze then you're sadly misinformed.
• Getting a New Hobby - Undeniably, college life comes with LOTS of pressure and stress, but methinks that there is no point overwhelming yourself unnecessarily. Collect stamps! Go learn how to fix a car! Join a theater group! Get recharged and motivated after a week of intense coursework. Taking time out from those pesky assignments would keep you from going cuckoo.

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• Emotional adjustment - Being far away from home is always difficult, and homesickness always come a-knocking sooner or later. Call home to ask how Pookie the cat is doing, have video calls with your family or send a simple text to your best friend. Just remember, moving interstate is not the same as disowning your family and friends back home.
• Be positive! - So what if you feel disorientated or overwhelmed for the first few weeks of your first semester? So what if your lecturers grade your assignments as if they have personal vendettas against you? Nothing beats having a positive attitude. Being an average student in your pinafore-wearing days doesn't automatically mean you're doomed for failure in college.