Does anyone have any REALLY good advice for graduating seniors who are going off to college?

If anyone has any really great advice for graduating seniors going to college, please share. Please take this question seriously and give some in-depth anwers. Also if anyone knows of anywhere on the web that relates to this topic, please share that as well.Does anyone have any REALLY good advice for graduating seniors who are going off to college?
Do everything in moderation. I think that could apply to almost everything in life, but what I mean is definitely live the ';college life';, because these years are truly the last of those where you can sort of have a carefree life. After that comes a career, LOTS of bills, eventually marriage, children, etc. All that needs to be focused on now is paying whatever bills you have (which I'm sure are minimal), getting decent grades, and maintaining a good social life. Don't screw up your grades in college, because your decision with that will make or break the REST of your life. Don't put your social life above your schooling, but definitely live a little, because these will be the best years of your life.Does anyone have any REALLY good advice for graduating seniors who are going off to college?
Really good question, John.





Have you heard about the ';freshman 15';? This may apply more to girls, but invariably students gain about 15 lbs in the freshman year. So plan to do some exercising right from the start to keep that from happening.





My general biology teacher told us to be prepared to study 2 hours for every hour of lecture on a regular basis.





Also, plan your courses so you have a break between them, like 2 hours if you can get it. Then, go over the stuff just after class, go hide somewhere, preferably in the same classroom (research shows if you study in the same place where you will have the test, your grade is higher--don't ask me where I heard this fact, too long ago!). This cements it in the brain so you can study more efficiently later.





Remember, grades are king. My gifted kids went off to college and studied like they did in high school, only college is much harder and they all wound up with GPAs of 2.7. You can't get around hard work in college.





Also, if you are really smart and tend to get high grades, keep it quiet. My brother, an engineering major at U.Va. who worked for his grades, told us once of a major brain who coasted thru classes until his 3rd year of college, when he was confronted with a very tough class. He of course hadn't studied and the test was the next day when he cracked a book. He was heard raving ';I don't understand this!'; in a loud pained voice, but the other students, who were working hard, acted like they didn't understand either and wouldn't help him.


I myself used to immerse myself in my statistics class 4 days before the test and would get As on the tests. Then I would have to move my seat, because I never studied at all until the 4 days before. The teacher lectured once a week and then we worked in groups and she gave a mini-test at the end. Because I never read the chapter, I had no clue and the students would take pity on me and help me. But not after they saw my test papers, and the teacher didn't cover them up so well. Then I had to move my seat. We had 4 tests and I moved to every corner of the class. I know, why was I so lazy, but that's just me.





Figure out how best you study. If it is in groups, find some to study. Oh, yeah, also this guy in one of my education classes said that he was a biology major, and he would tutor another classmate. He said it helped him immensely, because then he would realize he didn't know the material as well as he thought he did, and he would go ask the professor quesitons. He said this saved him so many times, his test scores went up. So volunteer to tutor someone in a hard class if you can understand somewhat. It will help you enormously (and perhaps the kid you are tutoring, too).





Well, that's enough. I'm sure others will give you good advice too.
Quite a bit has been covered here... I might say/add:





* Apply yourself, study hard, DON'T cheat


* Have fun... within reason


* Be safe... absolutely


* Make lots of good, lifelong friends


* Get involved in school, dorm organizations and activities


* Learn how to be independent and manage your own time and responsibilities... and do a good job at it!


* Learn how to manage your money; be careful with credit cards


* Learn how to handle yourself well with adults and others...be polite and respectful, use good table manners


* Take advantage of teachers' offers of help if you need it


* Stay in touch with your family and hometown friends...they will miss you, and you them (well, some of the time!)


* Be active, play sports or maintain some type of physical fitness program


* Eat well and get enough sleep


* If you ever feel depressed, talk to the school's counselor; and make sure you go to the clinic if you need to





BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!!! This is such an exciting time of your life. Make the most of it...
Get ready to do things faster, deeper and more instensly.





AT least one if not three courses will ask for term papers monthly or weekly and they will want like 20 pages with 7-15 reference sources.





Get ready to write 20,000 words a week and read 100,000 words a week.





Get a card for the Xerox machine and put $$$ on it





College libraries are open 7-11 7 nights a week and closed like only 5 days a year.





Be ready to live there.





You work hard you play hard.





Each semesiter every student seems to enroll in Beer Bong 101.





Most of the girls are lot different than highschool girls. Often very plain and simple, very dedicated and nerdy, often very feminsit. They are there for a reason and that's to get a degree or hook up with a guy who's as good as they are if not better.





They will ';review'; Math and Langauge in 15 minutes and then proceed from there.





You are talking 4 year college right, not JC. JC is jsut grown up high school.





At least one of your classes in the next two years will have 200-300 students in a big auditorium.
Cheat on every thing you can. You are paying for that education anyway.
As a recent college grad, I would suggest you take your general education classes first. You may think you know your major now, but chances are very good that you will change it. I changed mine a total of six times with different major/minor combinations.





The reason I say get your generals out of the way first is because if you decide to change your major, the requirements are going to pretty much be the same - and then you won't have to fall behind in your coursework. For example, as long as you change your major and it's still for a Bachelor of Arts, the requirements should be very similar/the same - you start running into differences when you change your degree from a Bachelor of Arts to a Bachelor of Science.





The other reason I suggest doing generals first is because you are pretty much guaranteed to get out in four years. I had a friend who was undecided for at least half of her college career, but she got out in four years. I, on the other hand, declared my major my sophomore year and I was still there for five years.
one pick a college that you feel you are going to be comfortable with and if you get home sick easily then pick one close to home. second pick your major before you go cause that way you will know what is coming and what you will need to do. three don't stress out cause it will not help on hurt. four if you need help ask for it from you professor or get a tutor. five always figure out what is more important time for educational learning or friends leading you to an explanation to your parents about slippage of grades. six just use your head and trust yourself.
Take a variety of courses; find a course of study that you like and go with it. Study your Registration Book very carefully to learn the requirements for your intended major. Follow there directions, they don't allow too many exceptions to these rules (if any). ALWAYS go to class, as what is in class is what is on the test. Study, but also have fun and find a special someone to marry. Make sure there is a job out there when you graduate; ie: don't major in ';art history';, there are no jobs in that. Go to school to get a job. Get the best grades possible, they really do count when employers hire new hiree's.
Um...I don't know about good advice. I'm better with details, this question is still a tad broad. I'm done with my first year of college. I can tell you that the college you go to doesn't need to be too prestigious, as long as your field is pretty good, you'll shine and will get far...don't be afraid to make friends, um..you'll learn how to be more independent. I sort of went through this...quarter life crisis after I graduated high school...I was so depressed and worried about my life. Ok, so you might not get good advice from me, sorry, but you got something.
Live life! You will never have a second chance and if you want to do it go for it. There is consequences to everything in life, but they are temporary. Would you want to question ';What If...'; for the rest of your life?