21 Things Former College Students Would Have Done Differently If They Had A Chance To Do College Over Again

    There's a whole lot to learn out there.

    Michele Bird
    by Michele Bird

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    Four years of college fly by faster than you think. It's riddled with a mix of late-night study sessions, parties, and a whole lot of classes.

    ABC / Via giphy.com

    When Reddit user u/gottalovecarina asked, "If you could do college over, what would you do different?" a bunch of former students chimed in with tips they wish their former selves had known.

    ABC / Via giphy.com

    So whether you're starting a new semester or planning to apply for university sometime in the future, here are the most memorable responses to the thread that'll give you some food for thought. Take a look:

    1. To start, improve your study skills, and realize it doesn't have to all be done on your own:

    The House Bunny
    © Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Learn how to study properly, join a study group, and ask for help when needed instead of trying to trudge through alone."

    —u/aero_nerdette

    2. Make it a point to get to know your professors more:

    How to Get Away with Murder
    © ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "My husband got to know his professor who then helped him get an internship at the UN, which then helped him get a kickass job in the States. They are amazing resources and (generally) want to help their students."

    —u/aryasneedle42

    "Honestly, just do the work and get to know your professors a bit. There’s no secret. Looking back, the students who truly excelled weren't all geniuses or anything. They just consistently showed up, did their work, and socialized enough with the professors to be likable and memorable. 

    As it turns out, this formula also leads to success in your career post-university."

    —u/unclestrugglesnuggle

    3. Become a master at networking:

    Boy Meets World
    © ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "I would have networked like crazy. I am a pretty introverted person, and I always hated trying to schmooze with people. And I always told myself, 'Well, if I have good grades and a good resume, then it won't matter who I know for getting a job.'

    I was wrong.

    So I'd get to know professors, do internships that would open up more doors, join student organizations, etc."

    —u/Luna_LoveWell

    4. Realize school can actually feel like a full-time job and should be treated as such:

    The Magicians
    Carole Segal / ©Syfy / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Get into the habit of treating it like a full-time job. If I'd consistently dedicated 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to going to class and studying [or] doing homework, I would've ended up studying way more than I did. Plus, I would've had more time for guilt-free socializing, partying, and miscellaneous unproductive putzing around."

    —u/CaptainDadBod

    5. Consider going to community college first to help save some cash while you finish your general ed:

    Community
    © NBC / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Doing it this way has absolutely no effect on your bachelor's degree and saves you thousands of dollars."

    —u/Half_Past_Five

    6. Make an appointment with your advisor regularly for advice on class scheduling and more:

    Veronica Mars
    © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "See an advisor! My dad's advice in college was to fill up your classes with other stuff that looked cool, and all I did was waste his money and my time when I could have graduated three semesters before I dropped out. Seriously make a plan and stick to it."

    —u/Ferret4242

    7. Explore the extracurriculars your campus offers:

    Sweet/Vicious
    © MTV / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Take more advantage of the really amazing lectures and seminars my school offered. I definitely applied myself to classes, but there was so much extracurricular academic content I could have taken advantage of."

    —u/QueenMoogle

    8. Learn to embrace being truly yourself:

    Sabrina the Teenage Witch
    © ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "It will sound cheesy, but be myself. Tried so hard to 'recreate' myself in college and view it as a fresh start. [It] would have been much more enjoyable if I didn't try so hard to be someone else and just had fun."

    —u/wbted23

    9. Feeling extra motivated or can't pick just one thing to study? Opt to do a double major:

    Fresh Meat
    Mark Johnson / © Channel 4 / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Take a double major so I don't have to pay for a bunch electives that didn't help me even a little in my career."

    —u/SW_Shadow

    10. Try stepping out of your comfort zone:

    Legally Blonde
    © MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Go out and make more friends, go to all the stuff that I was invited to even if I didn't know anyone too well, hang out with different groups of people. Just overall be more outgoing and open to new experiences. I became that in grad school, and it made a world of difference."

    —u/rondell_jones

    "Don't say no to social opportunities. Even if they make you uncomfortable, it's the best way to find how you fit into the campus."

    —u/TheBananaShades

    11. Speed up your graduation day by taking extra units over the summer:

    Monsters University
    © Walt Disney Co. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Go to school throughout the summer and graduate faster."

    —u/DoctorFronkenstein

    12. Learn how to balance your time properly:

    Pitch Perfect
    © Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Spend less time doing dumb s--t and more time sleeping and studying."

    —u/UnPhayzable

    13. Be open to switching your major if it's not working out for you:

    22 Jump Street
    © Sony Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Take it more seriously and maybe choose a different major."

    —u/gatomatic

    14. Moving for school? Think of what it would be like making it your home post-grad day:

    Monsters University
    © Walt Disney Co. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Choose a school in a location where I'd like to end up living afterward. You make a lot of contacts during your time in school and any internships you may have while there, and lose quite a bit of their usefulness if you then relocate to a different geographic region."

    —u/dontcallmemonica

    15. If traditional college isn't quite the right fit for you, apply to a trade school instead or explore other paths that may interest you more:

    Dawson's Creek
    © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "I wouldn't have gone to college. It was something I did because I was supposed to, not because there was something I had a genuine interest in studying. So much money was spent on tuition and fees that could've been used elsewhere.

    I made a lot of great friends and got good job opportunities, but so did my cousins who went for trade/blue collar work out of high school."

    —u/chocolatesandwiches

    16. Do research on your major and what job prospects may look like once you're out of school:

    Beverly Hills, 90210
    © Aaron Spelling Productions / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "I'd have initially majored in something both well paid and in demand."

    —u/dottmatrix

    17. Try to avoid distractions and remain focused as much as you can:

    Dawson's Creek
    Fred Norris / © Columbia TriStar Television / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "I'd actually spend my time focusing on school."

    —u/urboyhillj

    18. You're learning something new every day no matter if you're in or out of the classroom setting:

    Greek
    Karen Neal / © ABC Family / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "I learned so much in and out of class that I wouldnt want to risk losing any of those lessons."

    —u/CasiCasey

    19. It's never too late to decide to go to college:

    Grown-ish
    Kelsey McNeal / © Freeform / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "I'd go to [college] instead of deciding to wait a decade."

    —u/DemonKyoto

    20. Want to know if you're in the right major? Apply for an internship for some hands-on experience:

    The Devil Wears Prada
    © 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Do an internship. Practice my major outside the classroom."

    —u/CrazyKitty2016

    21. Finally, understand that grades aren't the only thing that matter in college:

    Accepted
    © Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Take advantage of the non-academic opportunities that presented themselves. All the professors who said, 'Don't be a stranger,' whom I then ignored. All the contacts I let atrophy (contacts that would have been useful early in my career). All the things I skipped because 'I had to study.'

    Grades are important, and you should definitely study. But the difference between a 3.7 and a 3.8 is negligible compared to the effort it takes. And the grades only get your foot in the door. Your connections are what matter."

    —u/UncleTrustworthy

    "I wouldn't worry about maintaining a perfect grade average. It doesn't matter at all in the adult world."

    —u/SuzQP

    What would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments!

    MGM / Via giphy.com

    Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.