10 Tips You Need to Be Successful at College

Even if you're a first time college student or a last semester senior, this checklist is for you. Take notes, and apply them -but don't forget to let me know how they work out for you!

1. Designate a self care day.

(Whether it’s watching Netflix all day, or pampering yourself with at home mani-pedi’s. Have a day of rest you can look forward to during the week, for example mines was Tuesday's)

2. Plan Out Everything

(When I say everything , I mean everything. Classes, study periods , even rest breaks. When you plan it out and put it in your phone calendar or on paper your more likely to stick to it. Bonus points if it’s in the form of a check list!)

3. Take advantage of your professors office hours.

( Often, we as students may be shy or too intimidated to ask questions in class. Professor’s have office hours for a reason. Once, I went to my Biology Professor Dr. Benevides a week before the final and asked him to explain some topics I didn’t understand throughout the whole semester. He took his time and made sure I understood everything. No matter how long it took. Sometimes we think that our Professors would much rather be doing anything else, but in reality that’s what they want us students to do. ASK FOR HELP.)

4. Set Boundaries

( Whether it’s with your roommates or friends , set your boundaries early on, so that there is no confusion. During my semester, I was very timid with my roommates which led to their friends being over every day sometimes until 2 a.m. or even over night! This led to me having many sleepless nights and even missing morning scheduled test!! )

5. Stay in touch with your hometown friends and family!

( Often we look at college as being our passage to freedom, we can’t wait to move into the dorms and stay out as late as we want and go where we want and that’s great, honestly. But as the semester goes on, and the the first month of excitement wears off, college is going to get hard. It will wear you down, you’ll be tired and may be homesick. Calling your mom, siblings or high school friends at least once a week will help to have a piece of home right there with you.)

6. Make sure to utilize your resources

(Did you know that you can use your flex dollars to buy groceries and toiletries at the market underneath Oak Street Residence Hall? Or that you’re able to get temporary meal swipes from the UMKC Kangaroo Pantry?)

7. Making connections with your Professors can provide you with endless opportunities.

( My Biology 115 Professor was one of my first professors I could count on. Since my first semester of college, She has written me recommendation letters, recommended me for job opportunities and volunteering events and even helped to pick some of my classes!)

8. Don’t Over Do It

(This is also where your planner will come in. You may think that since you only have 4 courses this day you’ll be able to do 2 other jobs, hang out with friends and study. You want to give yourself time with everything you do. Don’t rush it, that’s the fastest way to tire yourself out.)

9. Set a Budget

(With exams, studying, jobs or other school related activities the last thing you want to worry about is money. Set a weekly or monthly budget and stick to it. Some examples include: only spending $15 a week in flex dollars to make sure you have enough flex dollars throughout the semester.)

10. Make friends with people who are doing what you want to do.

(I met my first friend at college during my biology lab. She was a straight A student, with an ongoing 4.0 GPA. She was doing what I wanted to do, this to me was motivation. I was motivated by her good grades and GPA so I started doing what she did to ensure that I could better myself. She became my cheerleader and drill sergeant. Plus a study buddy ! Win-Win!)

I hope this checklist will be effective in your journey someway somehow, but girl remember nothing will be effective without the work. Remember to send me a message and let me know how these tips work out for you!!

Much love.

Your Girl,

Khyra C