Let’s face it: High school doesn’t really prepare you for college. Having the choice of not going to class can be tempting after being forced for so many years. There’s also the possibility of living on your own, meaning you’ll have to learn how to cook and clean (or at least how to use a microwave and be OK with living in a pigsty). If you want to actually succeed in college and come out having learned something in the end, then keep reading.

 
Sleep – Getting enough sleep (and going to sleep at the same time each night) is probably the single most important thing you can do for yourself. It’s fine to stay up late every once in a while when you go out, but if your sleeping habits aren’t mostly normal and regular, it can really mess you up. If you want to feel awake without having to get a coffee after every class (which ends up being more expensive than you’d think), then you need a sleep schedule. Even if all you get is five hours a night, go to sleep at the same time every single day. Your body will get used to not getting much rest (although it’s still not great for you), but if you constantly change the time when you’re getting that rest, your body won’t ever know what’s going on and you’ll feel worse than getting no rest at all. Sometimes pulling an all-nighter is better than the two or three hours of sleep you might get at random hours of the day.

 Calendar – Before the semester starts, head down to the local office supply store (or the school bookstore) and buy a weekly scheduler. When you go to class, make sure you write down every problem set, quiz, oral report, project and test into your schedule. Take the time to copy over all the information from each class syllabus (like reading assignments) too. That way, even if you end up not going to class, you’ll know what you missed and you won’t feel like you’re falling too far behind. If you take your laptop to class, try using iCal or Google Calendar.

Notes – Take your laptop with you, or else buy a notebook for each class, and TAKE NOTES. Most professors pull questions for their tests from their lectures, so if you sleep through your classes and only read the textbook, you could end up in serious trouble on your finals. Taking notes, especially when you’re tired, is also a great way to keep yourself awake. If you don’t write very fast, or if you have a problem listening and writing at the same time, think about getting a mini recorder. Then you can spend class time listening to your prof, and you can take notes later. Make a note of the people who show up to class consistently and look like they’re paying attention and writing lots of stuff down. If you miss class, they’re going to be the best people to go to for notes from the days you missed.

 Goals – Coming up with both long-term and short-term goals will not only help you get more work done, it’ll help you to feel more focused. For short-term goals, you’ll want to make compromises with yourself. You might really want to watch season première of The Office, but that term paper is due tomorrow morning. If you have a clear goal that you need to finish that paper, then you’ll realize that TV might be a little less important. (And besides, you can always download the episode later.) For long-term goals, try to be both realistic and flexible. Setting goals that you know you won’t be able to accomplish will never help you.

 Studying – Before you start studying, you need to figure out your learning style. Do a little research online to determine if you learn visually, kinesthetically or aurally. If you’re a visual or aural learner, focus more on paying attention in class than taking notes; a mini recorder can help. If you're kinesthetic, take a lot of notes. Knowing your ideal way of learning will also help you when you’re preparing for your tests. If you understand how you learn, you’ll know if flash cards or audio books will be better for memorization. Also make sure you have a regular time and quiet place for studying every day. Try not to study in front of your computer—too many ways to get distracted. Listening to music isn't always a good idea, either; it can interfere with your concentration. If you absolutely have to listen to music, put on some classical Mozart or Pachelbel. 

 Procrastination – For some people, procrastination actually helps them get stuff done because they have the pressure of a deadline to meet. But procrastination typically only works well for short essays or math homework. If you have something that actually takes a lot of time to research or put together (like a science project, a term paper or a midterm), then you'll want to make sure you have plenty of time to do it.

 Socializing - Being social is the key to success. No matter which road you take in life, you'll always need to interact with others. Don't put off taking that public speaking class you need for general education until your last semester, especially if you're shy. Once you’re able to talk easily to others, you’ll feel less lost in the sea of people on campus. Practice on people in your classes; introduce yourself and say you don't know very many people. Or if you want a better excuse, ask if they have notes you can borrow or photocopy. In between classes, make eye contact with others on the quad and smile at them. If someone smiles back, that might be an opening for a conversation.

Life is all about acceptance and learning. With the right attitude and the proper outlook, college can turn out to be some of the best years of your life. In the end, as long as you stay on top of things, there's no reason you can't be both social and do well in school; because after college, you'll need both skill and charisma to be able to succeed.

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