Looking back, I’m amazed at how I’ve made it here and still alive.
I’ve changed my major twice, got dismissed, took courses at a community college and got re-accepted back to UB. My GPA has been terrible (on a comeback).
Academic tips:
go to class. Even if you think you can ace the class without being there, go. By being there, you can really absorb the course material and interesting tidbits from the professor and other students. Learn from others. The diversity of your class gives you the opportunity to hear what others are thinking and learn from them. You also get to meet really interesting people.
be open, talk. Put on a smile and at least say ‘hi’. When class gets hard, it’s always nice to have someone to work it out with.
take notes & learn to take notes. I find taking notes on paper better because you aren’t limited to the strict formatting of digital documents and you can position and align however you need to. Also, taking notes on paper allows for quick sketches and diagrams.
track progress & have goals. At UB, we have something called a DARS report. This report lets me know what the requirements are for my degree and gives the different courses I can take to fulfill the requirements. This report can be easily put together yourself if your college doesn’t have something like this. Don’t just depend on your advisers, they may only give you a suggested path instead of one you’d be most happy or successful with.
If you feel lost, make sure you keep doing things, don’t let your self stay idle or you’ll stay stuck, or do things that will lead to action like planning a project (with tasks broken down to smaller tasks).
some things that helped jump start my life
- reading good content ( via RSS reader )
- clean inbox
- GTD
- Reading on GTD, Lifehacks and a bunch of DIY guides. These really put actions in your hands
- segment time, break down tasks
- joining groups
- writing a blog (several xangas, blogger, custom blog, and a ton of other blogging platforms)
- find groups/clubs/meetups to join to help gain new experiences, both in and out of school:
- Performed in AASU night at UB (1, 2), won an advertising campaign proposal in class.
- I’ve attended Tweetups, Ruby meetups and BarCamp
