The high school class of 2021 is getting ready for graduation, and some districts have already led their students across the stage. While they celebrate a major milestone, many of the grads are getting ready for their next big step — college.
Though being off on your own can be intimidating, Reddit user u/FlammabIe came to the rescue by inviting current college students to offer a piece of advice for the incoming class. Here are some of the top-voted gems:
1. "Record all classes where the professor reviews what will be on the final, and that way you have a perfect study guide with nothing left out."
2. "Make a schedule you actually want to keep. Don't sign up for a class at 7 in the morning because that's how high school was. Don't sign up for one class after another either, simply on the basis that you're used to having a block of classes all lined up. If you want an hour-long break between classes, do that."
3. "Get to know your professors. Office hours aren't just for getting help. Networking is one of the most important things that you will do during college."
4. "Your school library most likely has your required class books that you can borrow temporarily or use to copy the pages you need. You can also just google the ISBN to find alternate places to buy books from. Or I highly recommend renting your books if you have to get them. You can find cheap rentals on Amazon, as well as many other sites when searching the ISBN."
5. "Sleep! The occasional late night while you’re studying is fine, but chronic sleep deprivation makes everything so much harder."
6. "Professors have office hours where they'll make themselves available for questions. Go to them! Even if it's a dumb question, they'll remember you when grading time comes. I was a B student in a lot of my classes but ended up with an A- because I went to office hours."
7. "Try new things. Join clubs, go on trips, study abroad, take a minor, try a dance class, make out, etc. Expand your experiences."
8. "Read the damn syllabus! Got a question about the course? It's probably in the syllabus. Wondering how to contact the professor? In the syllabus. Need to know the expectations for the course? Yup, syllabus."
9. "Failing a class or a test doesn't make you dumb or less of a person."
10. "I graduated a while back, but EasyBib saved me SO MUCH TIME when I was writing papers. It'll create your works cited page for you."
11. "Go to the free counselor ASAP. Your mental health is the most important."
12. "Find, create, or join study groups for each and every class ASAP. This has three major benefits: you study smarter, you study on time, and the classes, papers, and tests are easier."
13. "Get involved! Never again in your life will you have groups of people just assembled for you like that, where you can just show up and meet people without all of the work of trying to find them first. I'm not saying everybody needs to rush a sorority or devote a huge chunk of their time to running for student office or something, but the likelihood of there being at least one group dedicated to something you would enjoy is high, and you should at least give it a try."
14. "If you have to take an English class, take it as soon as possible in your college career. You're going to write papers in every class you take, and your English class will make you better at it. English class doesn't just teach you a skill you'll use in real life — and trust me, you'll use it — English class teaches you a skill you'll use immediately during college."
15. "Know what your options are academically. Talk to academic counselors or find a mentor if you’re interested in grad school. They’ll tell you the important classes to take and the most efficient way to get to where you want to go."
16. "Carve out time in your week when you're going to do your schoolwork. 'I'll just do it later' generally results in all-nighters, writing 10-page papers in one day, and a lot of unnecessary stress."
17. And finally, "Everyone gives advice on how to do college, but by no means do you have to follow any of it. You're learning to adult and studying to have a profession. If you chose a path and fail, change something and try again."
You can read the full Reddit thread of advice here.
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.