New to Back-to-School?

If you're like me, and you're going back to school for the first time in a while, it can be a little overwhelming. Whether you haven't had a certain class in years, you're not accustomed to so much reading, or waking up early for classes makes you sluggish, you can still manage to keep up, or even stay ahead, and make a good grade. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you out.

Sleep and Eating Habits

1. Go to sleep earlier. Some people going back to school after a long stint away, may be accustomed to staying up late at night. If you have a morning class, this is not good, because you wake up sluggish, getting off to a bad start. Go by the general rule of getting, at least, eight hours of sleep at night. If you need more, and can take more, then adjust accordingly. If you have trouble getting to sleep, try doing something like taking a Benadryl to help you along. If you don't know how Benadryl affects you, be sure to test it another time first. Getting a good night's sleep will help you with step number two.

2. Eat a healthy, balanced breakfast. If you take a long time getting ready in the morning, don't scratch out breakfast, just to make time. Eating a healthy, balanced breakfast will keep you full and focused throughout your classes. It's always easy to grab convenient, sugary foods, but they will only temporarily satisfy, and will inevitably lead to a crash later. Make sure your meal will provide you with nutrients, and keep you fuller, longer.

3. Staying awake by hydration. Staying awake in class, especially the early morning ones, is a task within itself. Caffeine loading is only a temporary fix, and is usually found in weight-gaining products like soda. Keep hydrated with water. This will give your body the health benefits it needs, as well as ward off fatigue.

4. Last in the food category, is choosing snacks if you're going to be at school all day. It's easy to grab a bag of chips and a snack cake from the vending machine, and wash it down with a Coke, or to grab a greasy cheeseburger and fries from the cafeteria. However, these are empty calories, and will not sustain you throughout the day. If you don't have the drive to do it in the morning, pack up some healthy choices for the day. Some good options include: whole wheat crackers and lean meats and low-fat cheeses, cut to fit said crackers (as opposed to buying Lunchables,) baby carrots, no sugar added applesauce, low-fat string cheese, and a baked snack, and a yogurt or piece of fruit. Wash these down with juice, or the aforementioned water.

In the Classroom

1. Sit in the front of the classroom. This isn't high school anymore, so sitting up front doesn't make you a geek or teacher's pet. Sitting in the front of the classroom is a great way to be able to hear the professor, see what is written on the board or projector, and a good way to ensure you don't fall asleep (you wouldn't want that embarrassment, would you?)

2. Clear all personal distractions. It's usually a classroom rule that there are to be no cell phones or pagers on or in sight, and in some instances, laptops are not allowed either. These rules are not here to annoy. They are put in place, to make sure you are paying attention and absorbing all you can. Absorption of material is especially important for those coming back to school after a long time of being out. Therefore, don't be texting or Facebooking while you're supposed to be paying attention.

3. TAKE NOTES! Yes, reading the book is a great way to learn material, but taking notes helps you to pay attention to what the professor is saying, and a good way, to have in writing, what needs to be known, in order to pass the quizzes and exams, in order to be able to pass the class. Pay close attention, and remember: REPITITION MEANS THAT IT IS IMPORTANT AND THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IT!

4. Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you don't understand something (for me, it's in math class,) ask the professor for clarification. This can be the difference between you passing and failing a course. If you did not hear something a professor said, ask him or her to repeat, and if you can't see something written on the board or projector (this happens a lot to me,) ask for it to be clarified or put where you can see it.

5. Follow along in the book, if possible. This, of course, means you should have already read the material, prior to the class. Syllabi are there for a reason. We'll cover that in the next section. Anyway, following along in the book, and highlighting key terms and phrases, makes for excellent study material. This also helps to keep you focused.

Outside the Classroom

1. Do your homework, online quizzes, and online tests, the day they are assigned. This will help you to keep up, and in some cases, stay ahead with all the work you have to do in your classes. The longer you procrastinate, the more work piles up, and it becomes overwhelming. If your professor posts work for you to do ahead of time, and you understand the material well enough to ace the work, do it. This will leave time for other work, and you will feel a sense of accomplishment, and be worry-free.

2. As stressed in the former section, READ YOUR BOOKS! Syllabi are there for a reason, and contrary to popular belief, they aren't just there to tell you what your homework is, and when it's due. Usually, syllabi contain chapters and sections of books that will be covered in class on a specific day. Reading these sections prior to that class time, will help you know what the hell is being discussed. You can also highlight key terms and phrases while reading, which makes for an excellent studying tool.

3. Study. If you have paid attention in class and have read the book, you know the material, and what to go over, in order to succeed. Don't be lazy, and go over it, especially prior to quizzes and tests. Keep the material fresh in your head, because some professors also like to give pop quizzes. Yes, even in college!

4. If you're stuck, get help. If you need help, most professors are required to keep office hours. Go see them then, and get the help that you need. There are also a plethora of tutors that can be contacted. A lot of offices even have a list of tutors for your disposal. As always, too, you can always use the buddy system, and find a friend to help you out. Who knows? They might need you for help in another class.

In conclusion, going back to school isn't as scary as some people may think it may be. Even if you're an older, non-traditional student, there is hope for you. Just follow these things, and use common sense, and you, too, can succeed at going back to school.