| Written by Marina M. |
1. Don’t burn yourself out.
As a recent grad who just finished her B.S. in Biology in three years while tackling two part-time jobs, research, and holding different e-board positions in multiple club organizations, I’m the last person to be preaching this—but I mean it! It’s okay to want to fill up your resume within your first three weeks of college; in fact, I think it’s amazing to strive for that. Just remind yourself not to overfill your plate! Please, kid.
2. All-nighters are never—ever—a good idea.
Ah yes, I remember my first all-nighter like it was yesterday. Your first Intro to Biology exam was coming up and you were freaking out of your mind: “This exam—this grade—is going to determine how high your GPA is going to be this year, whether or not you you’re going to get accepted into Pharmacy School, and whether or not you’re going to make it in life. So don’t you even dare blink one eye; that second could be spent learning about glycolysis! You hear me!?”
Guys, I joke. But, yes, that was my mentality my freshmen year, if not even more obnoxious. I thought that this thinking was how you were supposed to approach studying in college. I mean they don’t call it the most stressful years of your life for nothing, right!? NO! It’s not! I’m not going to lie and say that your studying habits from high school will get you far, because the work does get more intense. But you don’t have to get so worked up on school that you let one exam grade determine the rest of your life. It’s okay to take some time figuring out which studying methods work best for you, but you do not have to kill yourself to get that A!
3. It’s okay to take a day off, really!
And now that I got your attention with the drama of the all-nighters, this might sound a little crazy, but your brain actually works better when you don’t stress!
As I mentioned earlier, I was basically a huge stress-ball my entire undergraduate career, at least until I was accepted into Pharmacy School. Then I relaxed a little. My senior year I realized that I have been getting the same good grades as freshman year but without all of the crazy studying antics and stress. Now, I’m not saying to study less, but I’m merely trying to explain that I realized I was getting the same and even better grades because I was under less pressure and stress! Make sense?
4. This might sound even crazier, but your professors actually care about your well-being.
How many of us in high school were told, over and over, that college professors won’t ever cut you slack so you should forget even trying to explain why your assignment was submitted a minute late? As I look back at my time at Rutgers–Camden, I realize that I can honestly thank every single one of my professors for getting me this far and for actually caring about the success of their students. We all go through things and sometimes it can affect our energy and lower our motivation to do well in school, and they understand that. I’m not saying that our professors are here to pat us on the back, but their job is to see us succeed and they’ll make sure they do whatever they can to, even if you have to miss a class or two. So don’t be too shy to approach them and explain your situation if you’re having a rough time, because, chances are, they’ll actually listen!
5. Make it a priority to seize every opportunity you get.
One thing that you’ll notice once you come to college is that there are opportunities everywhere. There are so many that may even become overwhelmed; they all sound interesting so you may have trouble figuring out which internships or jobs you should go for! Well, I’m here to tell you to, take everything you can! Just because you already have a hefty resume doesn’t mean you should stop there! If you have the time, go for it. You can never have enough experience and the more skills, the better!
6. You can make connections everywhere—and I mean everywhere.
If you’re interested in them, go out and join different clubs and organizations, but I’m saying you need to join everything. You’d be surprised by how many important and interesting people you meet at the strangest or most random events. So, get involved! You will find that there are so many people that are actually willing to help you go far, whether it’s through mentorship or simply by informing you during a free period meeting of upcoming internships or job openings. The connections are everywhere if you open yourself up to them. Fun fact: the professor that I ended up doing research with actually offered me a spot in his lab on a Discover Rutgers Day when I was attending his information session as a Raptor Ambassador!
7. Lastly, never doubt yourself.
You will come across many, many failures throughout this higher education journey—whether they are academic or personal—and there may even come a time that you start to rethink why you’re even going into this career field. It’s okay. Sometimes you can put in 110% effort and still not receive the grade you worked your butt off for; in fact, it can happen, a lot. What’s important is focusing on how strong your passion for the career you’re striving so much for is. Have faith in yourself; if you keep at it, you’ll make it!