Tools for Success in College
Image of a college lecture hall
Congratulations to all the recent grads! I hope you’ve enjoyed your summer break and are looking, with excitement and nerves, toward moving into your college town and starting your undergraduate university career. I recognize that starting college looks different for everyone, depending on the type of university you chose to attend. Whether you’re starting at a Junior College (JC) or going to a 4-year university from the start, whether you’re attending a public or private university, or whether you’re starting your first year or your final year, I hope these tools can be helpful in getting everything you want out of your university experience…
A little background before we begin:
As a first generation college student, I attended undergrad at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB - Go Gauchos!). Before my parents drove me down to Santa Barbara from the Bay Area, I recall feeling a giant mix of excitement and nerves, with a large helping of confusion and uncertainty about what I had gotten myself into. As far as I knew, “this is just what I was supposed to do”. I was following a path laid out for me by the academic system: Graduate high school with good grades, attend a univeristy for your undergrad degree… and I guess get a job after graduation? I assumed we all just figure it out from there…
What I WISH someone had told me, was specifics on what I was about to get myself into and how to take advantage of it to the maximum degree possible!
So here are my success tips for your first year, your final year, or any year during your college career:
Put yourself out there and meet new folks.
Don’t be afraid to talk to a variety of folks to find your core friend group. And don’t stop making friends once you’ve found a couple folks you enjoy spending time with. A College campus is filled with students just waiting to be your friends or study-buddies! Seek out the folks you can study with and get nerdy about topics you find fascinating. Seek out the peers who want to engage in similar activities as you: whether thats hiking near campus, playing on a club sports team, shopping downtown, laying on the beach, or something else. Seek out the friends who can be there for you when you need some motivation and support.
Don’t be afraid to ask people for help. Meeting new people in your classes can help you feel connected to your community and also provide a support group for learning the challenging materials your courses cover. These are the folks who will help hold you accountable for learning the class material and completing assignments when you’re running up on a deadline.
Insider tip: Invite someone to lunch - ask them to go to the dining commons together or offer to buy someone lunch as a tool for connecting. one thing is for sure: all college students need to eat. Depending on how your campus is set up, you may have extra money or points on a campus card/student ID that you can use to invite someone to the cafeteria who doesn’t typically eat there! And sometimes these cards allow you to buy sandwiches at cafes of campus. Be sure to check out the perks available to you and use them!
Review the class offerings and try new things.
College campuses are filled with professors who want to share their unique passions and interests with anyone who will listen. As an example, I once took a “Vampirism in Literature” course that was offered through the German language department because most of the literature was translated from Germanic text - the class ended up incorporating tons of mythology, pop culture, and psychology! AND it counted toward my required General Education units (GEs).
Take as many courses as you can on a variety of subjects. College is an opportunity to continue exploring your interests, passions, and strengths. You never know what you might fall in love with or consider as a career option once new doors open to you. By taking classes across a variety of subjects and departments, you’ll meet people with creative career ideas and professors who can show you a whole new world. (Not to be too cheesy, but this access to a wide variety of knowledge was one of the coolest things about being on a college campus!)
You are allowed to change your mind and change your major! You might start out thinking you want to study one subject and change your mind once you begin taking classes. Taking a variety of lower division courses, across many different subjects, in your first 2 years can help you decide which major you want to declare by the time you should be taking upper division courses in your 3rd and 4th years.
Look at your college calendar and club offerings (many are free).
You (or your parents/guardians) pay a lot of money included in your tuition that covers club offerings. Often times these events are free for students and sometimes they offer a free lunch! (Again, free food is a hot commodity when you’re living on your own for the first time!) Clubs may include exploring Greek life (sororities & fraternities), or clubs may have a cultural focus, a religious/spiritual component, or they may include volunteer opportunities. Aside from the free food or interesting events, joining a club can be a great way to meet new friends, explore a new interest or hobby, strengthen your community connections, and begin “networking” in a fun way. After all, the people you meet now may have family, friends, or themselves be someone who can support you in your career down the road.
Go to your professor’s Office Hours. (!!)
I cannot stress this one enough. At a large, public university, this is how you begin building your network and feel a connection with your professors, rather than feeling like an anchovy lost at sea. At a smaller, private university, this is how you stand out from your peers and build lasting networking connections. In general, office hours are an AMAZING tool when used correctly.
I recall feeling so embarrassed and shy to talk to my professors - what could I possibly say to these brilliant folks who are EXPERTS in their field of study? But looking back, I didn’t need to worry so much about what I said. I just needed to express interest in the subject, passion for learning, curiosity about the professor’s career path as a possible route to finding my own path, or simply ask for help when I was overwhelmed and confused by the material. I waited until my final year in college to do this and I wish I had started my freshman year. One of the best conversations I had was with a psychology professor who shared with me his knowledge of the various career paths you can explore within psychology itself - it opened up options and opportunities I did not previously think were available.
So Remember this: Professors are there to teach you - That inherently means that they want to help you, support you, and encourage you to grow. (I know this cannot be 100% guaranteed, and there will always be those hard-ass professors that you struggle to connect with. But the only way you will learn which category to label your professor, you’ll need to actually talk to them first and give them a chance.) So, go to their office hours, ask them questions, and talk to them like the fellow humans that they are. Let them surprise you with how approachable they actually are.
Visit the library!
Visiting the library is perfect for having a quiet, individual study space, or a small room where you can study in groups for that presentation, final exam, or dreaded group project. Even if you don’t like studying in the library or with groups of people, consider checking out the absurd amount of books available at your fingertips. The UC System, of example, shares a lot of their books through the Systemwide Integrated Library System (SILS) and you can borrow a book that might not even be on your campus though the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) program. I have to imagine that university systems outside of California may have something similar available for students - it’s worth checking into! And sometimes your course textbooks are available to check out for limited hours at a time, meaning you might not have to buy the book, but can check it out and obtain the information you need. (Just beware that you may need time on your side for this option, as other folks may also be checking out the book before the reading or assignment is due.)
Most universities have beautiful or unique libraries that are worth checking out at least once. UCSB’s library had a gorgeous view from the top floor and UCLA’s library has a old-world nostalgic feel.
Pro tip: Befriend the librarian or the folks working at the reference desks. Librarians are a tool you never knew you needed until that deadline for your research paper arrives and you’re still looking for 2-3 resources on the topic. Librarians are incredibly good at finding resources pertaining to the topic you are exploring. My husband often claims that his librarian Brent, at De Paul University in Chicago, IL was “the only reason he graduated”. Once librarians get to know you and the topics you are studying, they share an abundance of materials that may be of use to you. So, save yourself the headache of “doing it all on your own” and befriend the folks who can help by “pointing you in the right direction”.
An Option to consider: get an on-campus job, working at the library. It’s a great way to have access to the resources you need AND it usually provides you with some slow time during which you can work on your own assignments.
Utilize on campus tutoring services.
Before you spend (or ask your parents to spend) tons of money on a private tutor, consider seeking out on-campus tutoring services for free. Often times these services are provided by a variety of graduate students who can help you with your lower division course work. This is a particularly useful tool if you feel like the professor or the graduate student teacher’s aid are difficult to understand or unhelpful when you’ve tried asking questions. These tutoring services can also be helpful for having someone proof-read your essays or review your work before turning in an assignment.
Explore opportunities to participate in and/or conduct research on campus.
This one is a great way to get hands-on experience and decide if you actually enjoy the topics you are studying. (Plus, it has the added benefit of being a great resume builder). Finding a position as a research assistant in a lab on campus gives you access to interesting projects in your field of study, innovative tools being used on campus, and a group of researchers (professors, graduate students, and peers) who can share their knowledge and tips/tricks with you for further success in your undergrad career. I’m pretty convinced that my experiences working in a lab on campus and helping a grad student with their research was what helped me get into grad school. Not only did I get to learn interesting information, but I had folks who could write letters of recommendation for me, and I had the ever-elusive “experience” that grad schools and jobs want you to magically have before landing the gig!
When I was attending college, some classes like beginning psychology courses required that you participate in a certain number of research units as part of the overall grade - meaning you volunteer your time as a research participant for the grad students completing their dissertation projects on campus. (Don’t worry, most professors offered writing a research paper as an alternative, if you don’t want to engage in the research studies available.) Personally, I found it fascinating to engage as a participant in research studies. It took a couple hours of my time and was helpful for learning about the research process from a different perspective. Even if you’re not in a psychology class that requires you to volunteer your time, you can probably still sign up for being a participant - just ask your professors on campus how you might access this information or where it is being advertised.
Check out the Campus Gym (at least once). Consider attending an exercise class for credits.
Maybe you love going to the gym and want to make sure they have the equipment you need to challenge your strength. But not everyone is a gym person (hi! I hate gyms!), and I’d still say: it’s worth checking out the resources you have available to you! Often times gyms have more than just exercise equipment - they also offer exercise classes, yoga classes, or resources like personal trainers and nutritionists. I found an especially fun way to acquire college credits my final year of undergrad was to take an aerobics class for college credit four days per week! Exercise in college is one thing I often hear people “don’t have time for” and I’m here to remind you now that physical movement is one of the most effective tools for managing your mood, reducing stress, and taking care of yourself. Never underestimate the power of a short run, a brief walk, a dance party to your favorite song in your room alone, or some gentle stretching.
Counseling is usually free (or low cost) on campus.
Check out your college counseling center. Do this before you are in crisis, so that if that crisis hits, you know how to contact your counselors and schedule an appointment or drop-in for a crisis session. Typically, campus counseling centers offer a limited number of sessions for free or at low-cost for students each quarter/semester. Counselors can help you work through a challenge with a class or professor, a conflict with a romantic partner, or a falling out with a friend by supporting you with emotional regulation tools and effective interpersonal skills. Additionally, counselors have knowledge of all the extra on-campus resources you can access - like safety resources, food pantries, housing support, on-campus legal support, etc.
Take care of yourself: maintain consistent eating and sleeping routines.
College is fun… and college is demanding! So, as they say when reviewing the emergency safety practices on the airplane before take-off, “put your oxygen mask on before helping others”. Your basic needs are a priority, not second-rate to your grades. Without sufficient, quality sleep, movement, or nutrition, your body and mind will struggle to perform at the brilliant capacity you know it is capable of. I encourage you to seek balance in your schedule so that your protect the time you need for exercise, preparing and eating meals, and obtaining quality sleep each day and night. If meeting these basic needs starts to feel difficult, consider reaching out to your college counseling center or an individual therapist who can help support you in finding balance again.
Have Fun! And Stay Safe!
Last, but certainly not least - have fun! As stressful as your classes, mid-terms, and finals are now, this is also one of the last times that you’ll get to create your own, flexible schedule and live in a small square-footage of land surrounded by peers just waiting to befriend you.
Check out the funky things your college town is known for - whether it’s a museum, a silly parade or celebration that happens once a year, a sports event, or a theater production. Don’t sleep on participating in the events that made you choose this campus in the first place.
Attend the (often times free or heavily discounted) events for college students on campus - concerts, symphonies, interesting symposiums presented by leaders across different fields of study, theater productions, film showings by fellow students, art displays, the celebration for the Nobel Prize winner who just so happens to teach on campus… Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to try something new or check out an event that sounds far from your normal. You never know when you might stumble into an event that you’ll get to brag about later: “I knew of so-and-so when he was just presenting his first film to a group of college students on campus!” or “I saw that band before they became super famous!” or “I got to listen to this author present his book and worldly insights on his book tour!”. All of it adds to your unique story and experiences on this planet.
And finally, stay safe. Have all the fun, and make conscious decisions. Protect yourself and find ways to protect others. If you see something that looks concerning, report it to someone who can help. Use the buddy-system and travel with friends when possible. Utilize the campus police if needed, and consider using the campus escort services for a safe ride or walk back to your dorm when you’re on campus late at night.
Wishing you all the best on your college adventure! I hope you learn everything you can about yourself and the world around you in 4-5 short years that is the college experience. And life doesn’t end after college, it just changes. So, you’ll still have plenty of time to keep figuring it all out… just like the rest of us!
If you’re seeking emotional & relationship support as a college student in California, I’d be happy to meet you - I offer a free 15 minute phone consultation for potential new clients to see if we might be a good fit for working together.
Warmly, Dr. Allie
