First Year of College Wisdom
By Vicki Nelson
As a professor, I often feel I have so much I could share with new college students to help soften the blow of the adjustment — if they would just listen to me. But students don’t always heed the advice of their professors. However, they do listen to other students — they’re interested in the wisdom of those just a step or two ahead of them. As the last academic year wound down, I sat down with a group of eight first-year students as they reflected on their experiences. I asked each of them one question: “What will you do differently next year?” Their responses showed a firm desire to build on lessons learned.
Time Management Marcus was quick to say he knew exactly what he needed to do differently next year: manage his time better. He’s a good student, but just assuming he’d find the time to get things done meant he was
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always worrying about his projects and assignments and still sometimes missed deadlines. First on his list for sophomore year is to buy a good planner — and use it to sketch out when assignments are due and what he will do when.
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