Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Studying
• Method 2 of 3: Socialize
• Method 3 of 3: Health, Safety and Finance
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Your student days are a time like no other. You have gained independence, you are in a new place, and adult life is getting closer and closer. You have to make choices, and you are well aware of that. There is no secret recipe you can follow to succeed in higher education; everyone does it in their own way. However, most students who are doing well have a number of characteristics in common.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Studying

1. Don't procrastinate. Higher education, especially the first semester, will be difficult. It is incredibly difficult, because you are presented with all new material that you have never seen before. In addition, you are expected to achieve good results, and you are expected to be responsible for your motivation and success YOURSELF. Unlike in secondary school, it is assumed in higher education that you design and build your own education; higher education is not about chewing the facts that the teacher is feeding you. This means that you will have to do a lot more work than you are used to.
   • Offer yourself rewards so that you learn in advance. Don't go shopping until you finish that essay. Go out with your friends after you take an exam. Treat yourself to something you want when you reach your study goals.
   • Set priorities. You cannot fulfill all of the social, academic, logistical, and professional responsibilities that you fulfilled in high school. Be realistic about how much time it will take to fulfill your academic obligations; Use this to determine how much time you can spend on social activities.
2. Find your passion. Take a moment to think about what you enjoy doing and studying, and what you are genuinely interested in. What are your goals? What are your plans? Higher education is one step on the ladder called the rest of your life. What do you want to do after your studies, and how will your studies prepare you for that next step?
3. At the beginning of most courses you will have to take a fairly wide range of courses. These are courses that will teach you how to conduct academically sound research, how to improve your written and spoken communication, how to solve problems, how to look critically, and so on. Keep an open mind and look for ways to apply these academic skills in your discipline.
   • This wide range of courses can also work to your advantage in another way. There is a good chance that you will sometimes change jobs in your life. Even the courses that you initially thought you hadn't considered can have a major impact on your knowledge and skills. From anecdotal evidence, we can conclude that there is a good chance that you will end up in a different industry than where you once started.
4. Learn to distinguish gossip from authentic information. Learn how to use observations and evidence to form your own opinions. Attend special events and seminars organized by the school. Join study clubs. Get your news every day from a reputable and "reliable" news site. You owe it to yourself to form your own opinion about certain things.
5. Talk to your teachers. A big mistake many students make is that they never bond with their teachers. If you build a good relationship with your teachers, you can enrich your education and expand your network.
   • Visit your teachers to learn more about the material; NEVER to "show your face" to pull off a white foot, boost a number, or appear more committed. Business hours give you the opportunity to get additional help with the ideas and methodologies you are having difficulty with. Be well prepared to visit your teacher and prepare some good questions. Bring your notes and textbook. Ask specific questions about the concepts you're struggling with. Obviously, the teachers will not repeat the entire lecture you missed. They want to help you, but YOU are responsible for your own motivation and success.
   • Find a mentor. Consider, for example, a teacher or a staff member who can give you advice on how to achieve your personal goals. Start with the teachers who are part of your faculty. Usually a tutor or study career counselor is also appointed who can help you choose courses and other academic matters. However, don't assume that the mentor will also get you a job once you graduate.
6. Teach yourself good study habits. Everyone learns in a different way. It is not a good idea to have a television or music on in the background. Some people like to study alone; others prefer to do this in groups. Find out what works best for you. Ask yourself the following questions:
   • How long does it take for an idea to "stick" to you? Do you need weeks or days for that?
   • What type of student are you? It may of course be that you prefer to learn in a certain way, but that is not a license to ignore the other forms of learning. Are you
     
     • A auditory pupil? Do you learn faster when you hear things? In that case, you'd rather hear about ideas than read about them.
     • A visual pupil? Do you learn faster when you can see things? In that case, you will probably prefer to learn by watching graphs, demonstrations, and the like.
     • A kinesthetic pupil? Do you learn faster by touching things? Then you rather build or create what you read and what you are working on.
   • Which part of the day do you work best? Are you a morning person or a night owl?
7. Set academic goals. If you don't set academic goals for yourself, you will constantly wonder if you tried hard enough. Your academic goal does not have to be the same as the goals of other students. Try to be realistic about the goals you set for yourself. Find a good balance between your academic goals and all of your other personal goals. Studying doesn't just have to be about summa cum laude to graduate. It's about using your personal potential. You can't do better than your best.

Method 2 of 3: Socialize

1. Build as many friendships as possible. If you are in a larger school, the amount of new people can be a little intimidating. That is not bad at all. Everyone suffers from that in the beginning. Don't let yourself be known, and try to build as many friendships as possible. There are a lot of people you will get along with and learn from. Many people look back on their college days with great bliss - often because of the friendships they have built there.
2. Get involved in associations, traditions and events. Organized events in higher education are very different from the compulsory numbers in high school. Since no one is forced to participate in the event, you will only meet people having a good time. We do not need to beat around the bush: the social aspect is the main attraction of associations and events. Chances are you will meet people with similar interests to you, people you might not get along with, and people with incredible background stories. C'est la vie: a cross section of life.
   • Take the time to attend associations and events that are outside of your social circles. It's okay to share your association's activities with your best friends. But what if your friends keep you from meeting potential new friends? Try to get to know as many interesting people as possible during your studies. Be careful not to make friendship an exclusive privilege for you and your friends.
3. Go to parties. Be yourself and prepare to meet new people. However, handle this wisely and cautiously. Bring friends with you and use the buddy system. Make sure you keep an eye on your friends, and that your friends are watching you. Keep an eye out if your friend has had too much to drink, and ask your friends to keep an eye out for you as well. Never leave your friends alone - especially if they are intoxicated or if you are in an unsafe or unfamiliar place.
   • Be a graceful party guest. Don't leave bottles in someone's room, make a mess in the host's kitchen, or use someone's bed without permission. Bring cups and soft drinks, or beer and wine if you are old enough. It never hurts if the host starts to like you because you are so well mannered and generous.
   • Be careful with drugs. Make sure you are well aware of the dangers and effects of the different types of drugs. (If you, in moderation, use alcohol and / or marijuana, you won't end up in an emergency room any time soon; cocaine, meth, hallucinogenic drugs, and painkillers can kill you.) Some students see college as a great opportunity to experiment with drugs, but follow your own conscience. Don't get persuaded to do things that you are uncomfortable with. Keep in mind that you usually do not know what certain drugs are.
4. If you are going to have sex, do it safely. Many freshmen know alarmingly little about sex. In higher education, many people brag about the sex they may or may not have - most students have much less sex than their boasting suggests. One study found that the majority of the participants had one or fewer sexual partners per year. Another study found that 59% of the students surveyed had not had any sexual partners in the past 30 days.
   • Always use contraception. Whether you are a boy or a girl, if you are sexually active you should always make sure you have a condom with you. When used correctly, the condom is 98% effective in the prevention of pregnancy. Only agree to have sex if you know that you or your partner are carrying contraceptives. Even if you only have unsafe sex once, you can already contract HIV, herpes or other STIs. And while your arousal will fade over time, STDs like herpes don't.
   • Know that alcohol negatively affects your judgment and decision-making. A small amount of alcohol will already limit your inhibitions. This increases the likelihood that you will have sex with someone you would never soberly do with. It is important that you know about this before you start drinking.
   • Distinguish the facts from the fiction:
     
     • "I can't get pregnant while on my period."Fiction. You can indeed get pregnant if you have your period.
     • "The contraceptive pill protects me against STDs."Fiction. The pill will not protect you against like HIV / AIDS.

1. • • "I can't get pregnant while I'm still a virgin, and this is the first time I'm going to have sex."Fiction. Unfortunately this is not true. There is a 5% chance that you will still become pregnant.
     • "The contraceptive pill works from the first day I use it."Fiction. It can take up to a month for the contraceptive pill to become effective.
2. Never eat alone. (Well, if you feel like eating on your own, it doesn't have to be a bad thing). Never eat alone is the title of a book by writer Keith Ferrazzi. Ferrazzi, The idea behind this is that networking doesn't have to be difficult or boring at all. Networking is about making connections that can help your career in the future. Try to make the most of the opportunities you get during your studies. Use the time in the canteen to work on your personal development.

Method 3 of 3: Health, Safety and Finance

1. Eat healthy, exercise, and get plenty of rest. These three tips are all on the list of things that students do the least. However, if you want to succeed in primary education, you will have to balance work, study and the thousands of things in between. You will have to get serious about your health.
   • The optimal diet for the student is no different from the optimal diet for the rest of the world: eat lean meat and / or protein, vegetables and fruits, and whole grains; avoid soda, sweets, simple carbohydrates and saturated fats. Not only will you feel better about this, but you'll also be better able to avoid hitting those infamous college pilots.
   • Exercise is a panacea, although it is not really a cure. Exercise helps us burn fat, build muscle, lower cholesterol, relieve stress, and sleep better.Sign up to the gym, swim laps in the pool, or take the stairs instead of the elevator. If that doesn't appeal to you, you can also choose to take a half-hour walk every day.
   • Get plenty of sleep. If you want to achieve academic performance, it is extremely important to get enough sleep. In fact, students who work through the nights and always stay up late get worse grades than students who have a regular and good sleeping pattern.
2. If your school offers security services, take advantage of them. Many colleges and universities take measures to ensure the safety of the students. The security people at your school:
   • Can escort you from school to your room / station if you think it is unsafe to go alone.
   • Can give you advice to ensure your own safety (especially if you live in the city).
   • Can investigate crimes and violations that have taken place at school. Report if you have been the victim of a crime - especially if there is theft, rape, intimidation or assault.
3. Make a budget to map out your income and expenses. In college, children start to behave like adults. Having a budget is an important part of maturity. To draw up a budget, you map out how much money you receive and how much you spend. Look at your spending pattern and map out how much money you can spend per month. Make sure you never spend more money than you have. An example budget could look like this:
   • Monthly income: € 1300, -
     
     • Rent of your room: €600
     • Food and drink: €250
     • Books and school supplies: €100
     • Fixed charges: €200
     • Miscellaneous expenses: €150
4. Apply for student finance. Apply for student finance from DUO. Do this before you start studying. If you want to study abroad, you can also choose to apply for a grant. For example, the Erasmus grant can help you meet the costs of education abroad. Financial aid comes in all shapes and sizes. You just have to know where to look.
5. Try to combine your studies with work. The college or university you study at needs employees to function. At some colleges and universities you can work alongside your studies. This usually involves chores that don't require much thinking, such as guarding the library door. You can perfectly combine this work with your learning work, so that you earn money while studying.
   • Sometimes the college or university can also pay you to conduct research with a lecturer or faculty. This is where the mentor (which we just talked about) comes in handy. Without a referral letter, the faculty will never believe that you are a suitable candidate for the research position. Competition for research positions is stiff - an excellent academic record, and strong referral letters are an absolute must. Also know that there is a lot of work involved.
6. Try to save if you can. If you receive a grant or student grant, or if your parents help out financially, you can try to save as much money as possible during your studies. When you graduate and start real life, you will have to start paying bills. This will become a lot easier if you have already saved some money during your studies. There are also other reasons to save money during your studies:
   • Studying abroad costs a lot of money. Very much. If you want to study in Florence, New York, or anywhere else, it will cost you a hefty dollar. There are grants and financial aid, but you cannot always count on them.
   • Many students have to start paying off their student debt after their studies. If you start paying off your student debt (including interest) in advance, your budget will be much larger after you graduate.

Tips

If you have trouble with the material, don't hesitate to ask for help! Ask your teacher or another student to help you.

• Read on. If you know the teacher is going to discuss a particular topic, try to read about it in advance. This will give you a broader understanding of the material and you will be able to ask good questions during the lesson.
• Buy your books second-hand. You can find this online, but you can often also copy it from students who have already completed the course. This way you can save a lot of money.
• Few students can start learning just before deadlines. These are students who are naturally able to perform under pressure. These students are able to deliver reasonable quality under enormous time pressure. If you can't, don't risk it.
• If you are easily distracted, try to find ways to minimize the distractions. Try to create an optimal learning environment.
• It makes no sense to work all nights. Don't put off your academic commitments until the last minute.
• Never forget who you are, what you do, and why you do it.
• Stay healthy by doing five things: 1) Eat healthy, 2) Exercise, 3) Relax, 4) Stay optimistic, and 5) Get enough sleep.
• Try to choose a good place in class. You can stay focused better if you are in the front.
• Solve the problems at the end of the chapters.
• Be realistic about what you are capable of during your studies. The whole experience revolves around learning how to manage your time, how to meet your obligation, how to grow up, and how to take responsibility for your actions.
• Use old exams as a study guide - but only as a guide. You will have to understand the material well. On the exam, you will most likely not get the same questions as those in the old exams. If you get the chance to view your exams, do so. This way you can revise the questions you answered incorrectly so that you can answer the question correctly in the future. Apparently the teacher thought the question was worthwhile, otherwise he / she would not have added the question to the exam - you might just come across that question in another exam.
• Make it a goal to learn the material; not to get a grade. Teachers are more likely to write a strong referral letter for you if they know you are someone who is looking to expand his / her knowledge and skills; and not one who only cares about his / her grades. It's incredibly difficult for teachers to write a good letter for someone who fails (doesn't show up at class, keeps checking their Facebook, or performs poorly), and then blames the rest of the world for being / her bad grades.

Warnings

• Find out for yourself what you want to learn about your strengths and weaknesses.
• Everyone is different, and there is no specific strategy that will benefit every student. Find out for yourself what works best for you.
• Don't be afraid to make mistakes or take risks; just make sure you learn from it.
• These steps and tips are based on overarching, basic and general principles that will help you survive the first year of study. They are based on first-hand observations and experiments; Do not view these tips as pedagogical or idealistic rebukes designed to limit your free will or agency.

Necessities

• This is a list of essential things you will need in the first year of study. We've left out some things that might be crucial to you, so please don't consider this list complete.
• Office supplies (paper, printer ink, pencils, calculator, hole punch, etc.)
• At least two sets of bedding (pillow cases, sheets, etc.)
• Sufficient clothing
• Storage facility to carefully store your belongings (e.g. letter trays)
• Hobby gear / sports gear / books / movies (it can get pretty boring if you don't have a social life at all, but don't hang in front of the TV aimlessly)
• A computer (some want an ultra-fast computer, but most only use the computer for word processing and the Internet). A laptop is preferred because you can take it with you - so you can quickly take notes during lectures. Teachers often speak very quickly, making it difficult to manually write down the notes. Moreover, Times New Roman probably reads a lot better than your own handwriting!
• A RELIABLE printer and plenty of black ink (you don't need much color ink)
• A fridge (for your water, milk, juice, fruit, etc.)
• A microwave (not necessary, but can be useful)
• Moving boxes (or similar boxes or crates). These are useful if you have to leave the room, or if you want to return to your parents in the summer, for example.
• Water! You will be very thirsty, so make sure you always have water on hand.
• Snacks. Snacks are great for those who stay up late to study or when you don't have time to eat extensively. Consider, for example, muesli bars.
• Flu / fever / headache medicines, etc. You will probably get sick at some point. It can therefore absolutely not hurt to have some medicines nearby.
• Toiletries (toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo / conditioner, shower gel, scrub, and as many towels as you can bring)
• A toiletry bag (not strictly necessary, unless your room is very far from the sanitary facilities and you don't have a closet to store your belongings)
• Laundry detergent
• A reusable plastic bottle to carry water and / or coffee
• Money