9 Mistakes Students Make in Their First Year of University

Researches indicate that freshmen usually don’t do enough to prepare for the university life ahead. Here are some of the biggest academic, financial and personal mistakes students make:

• Not Going to Class: 

It seems easy to check online or borrow notes from friends but what you are missing is the experience of being in the classroom, listening to the lectures of professors and participating in the class debate. Keep in mind that your parents are paying every penny for the classroom and your grades are often tied to attendance, so don’t risk your success by skipping the classroom.

• Where to Begin: 

You have just moved to university and don’t know where to begin and how to study effectively.

You need to know that university studies are not limited to reading, highlighting and memorizing, it is more about ensuring necessary information and writing the notes in class. Find time to meet with professors during office hours to acquire academic information and participate in study groups.

• Procrastination and Poor Time Management: 

Procrastination is a disease which is affecting the productivity of students. It Leads to weakened energy and physical health causing colds, flu, and gastrointestinal problems and insomnia among students.

It takes persistence and hard work to achieve success in life. Nowadays, many campuses are offering workshops and courses on time management, which can help students in developing effective time-management strategies.

• Not Getting Connected with the Faculty: 

Student-faculty contact outside the classroom can help achieve a better academic result and provide overall satisfaction with the university. Yet many students do not attend instructor office hours at all for the project in question. Your connection with professors can demonstrate your positive attitude and willingness to work for higher grades and great future.

• Cellphones Disturbances: 

It is saddening to see that so many students are using their phones in class for non-educational purposes. Constant texting has led to lower grades whereas checking emails causes distractions. The student should keep the phone on Do Not Disturb mode or block those apps, which create disturbances during lectures. 

• Not Making Budgets: 

In the first year of university, the student does not make a budget and follow it. Aside from university fee, they don’t understand the components of a budget and where it is coming from and continue to overspend it. Fortunately, many educational institutions are offering financial handling workshops and courses on making a budget and sticking to it, so every first-year student should attend it.

• Not Taking Proper Sleep: 

Being away from home and missing out on sleep are more likely to cause lower grades and health issues. It is important to sleep on time and keep a steady sleep schedule.

• Taking on Too Much: 

It is good to be excited in your first year but too much of it can lead to trouble. Be selective about your priorities and decide what you like best.

• Not Asking for Guidance: 

Students avoid asking for help from parents, faculty, teachers or friends and suffer later. One should keep in mind that studying in university means learning to handle your responsibilities and turning to people for more experience or expertise. Also, they should remember that they are paying for these services as well, so why not avail them. 

According to these mistakes, we can help students learn significant lessons related to academia and life.