Tip No. 193
Q. I am leaving a career in professional athletics and want to start college in the fall. I am in my late 20's and am nervous about going back to school again after so long. What can I do to prepare and be successful as a student?
A. Starting any new chapter in life can make anyone nervous, but preparation is often the key to success and confidence and going back to school is no different. Here are my “learned-through-experience” top 10 suggestions for success in college: 1. On majors: Decide what you think you want to be when you grow up and then find a mentor in your desired career area. Talk with them to find out what the "real world" is like in that career before you commit to a degree plan and path. You may decide to change your major! 2. On colleges: Choose a college with an accredited program in your preferred field of study and consult with an academic advisor early and regularly to make sure that you are on the right track to reach your degree and graduation goals. 3. On navigating campus: If your campus is larger than one building, get a comprehensive campus map, keep it with you, and add notes and comments (class locations, parking, etc.) to further guide you until you are comfortable getting around. 4. On navigating campus administration: Because college administration can be notoriously frustrating, take notes every time you speak with someone to resolve a problem or make a change (date, person’s name, situational specifics, etc.) and keep them until after graduation – hopefully you won’t need them, but you’ll be so glad you have them if you do! FYI, graduations and countless lesser things have been saved by following this suggestion. 5. On sleep: Get enough of it so you can be effective overall – eight hours per night is recommended by experts. 6. On attending class: Don’t miss classes unless truly necessary, get to each class five minutes early, and take quality notes during lectures – you’ll learn more and your professors will be happy with you for it. 7. On studying: Match every hour spent in class with at least one spent outside of class studying; read your textbook reading assignments and then read them again; study for exams in more than one study session; and, if it matches your learning style, study with a partner and/or in a group. 8. On writing papers: Find at least two sides to the issue before you write about one side; write a draft before you write your final version; do more than the minimum requirements by at least one in each category (sources, pages, quotes, etc.); complete the paper at least two days before it's due; and review and edit twice more after you think it's final before turning your paper in. 9. On internships: Get one (or more)! – it’s an excellent way to gain experience and make contacts in your career area necessary for future employment. 10. On the campus career center: Use it! – work with a career counselor and use all available resources while you are still a student to improve your chances at success in the job market after graduation.
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