STEPS FOR SUCCESSFUL SEMESTER
Last week, we posted an article entitled, Academic Success: 4 Steps to Earning Straight As. Now, we share steps for a successful semester and college career.
PROFESSORS: With regards to your faculty, you are STRONGLY encouraged to meet with them during their office hours. We suggest you do this early in the semester to become acquainted with each other. During your connection, ask specifically what you can do to improve your learning and work for the course. Who better to share how to succeed in your academic course but the faculty. In addition, getting to know helps in asking for a letter of recommendation if needed for scholarships, positions or graduate studies.
FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITIES: As a college student, you are now a responsible adult. As such, you oversee all aspects of you that includes finances, academic, and life responsibilities. For example, you (along with your parents) need to ensure that your tuition is paid; for your classes, you decide if you go to class, do the work, or succeed on projects and exams. To ensure your success, take care of yourself – eat well, get adequate sleep, and have fun. Ultimately, you determine your success by prioritizing your tasks.
TASK MANAGEMENT: You have probably heard of “Time Management,” but we all have the same amount of time in a day – 24 hours. What is more important is to determine your priorities, i.e., tasks – class, study, sleep, eat, etc. and allot how much time each takes; the key is to fit your tasks in the time you have – 24 hours. Or plan your tasks on a weekly basis.
Tied with this step, we suggest you do NOT do all-nighters as they are not healthy. Although some architecture students boast about their number of all-nighters. If you plan your tasks, you should NOT need to stay up all night. One approach is to start early (7:00am) on the weekends when very few students are in the studio.
CONNECTED: Depending on your interests, consider joining a student club; doing so is a great way to meet new friends and focus on something other than architecture. One former architecture student started a “juggling” club to showcase their talent and teach other students how to juggle. Becoming involved with student clubs is also an opportunity to develop leadership skills.
MENTOR: A great step for academic success is to secure a mentor discuss your academic life. As you are in an architecture program, start with an upper-class student. It may seem intimidating to do so, but approach a more advanced studio to meet a potential mentor. Again, joining a student club is another way to meet more advanced students.
Once you have a mentor, connect with them for insight on your courses and other aspects of your college life. Attend the reviews of upper-level studio to see their work and what you might be doing in the future.
RESOURCES: No matter the challenges you may face during your, there is a resource on your college campus for that challenge. Perhaps, you become ill, there is the Health Center; perhaps, you have questions on your academic path to your degree, there is your academic advisor. You need assistance on a course paper, there is the library; you seek a summer career position, visit the Career Center for help.
If you need help, seek out assistance from a college resource or someone. Visit the website of your university and research the many resources that are available to you.
Well, now you know what it takes for academic success; strive to do your best and do ask for assistance.
Best!