Top Mistakes College Students Often Make and How to Avoid Them

So you just graduated high school and are now looking forward to attending college. Let's be honest, you're more psyched about the eye candy and party life than you are about the actual coursework. Having a social life in college is important and healthy, but failing to learn how to prioritize in college can have its consequences. Once you become sidetracked in college you may find that you score poorly on exams, your GPA drops, and you can no longer catch up. Don't let this happen to you. You can have a beaming social life in school while remaining focused. If you are going to enter college soon you should take a look below at some of the mistakes you should avoid making.

1. Avoid drinking. You might enter college as a non drinker and turn into a binge drinker halfway through the semester. Social drinking can easily lead to binge drinking. You might see your peers indulging in their drinks and having a blast so not wanting to seem like a prude you join in (all of the time.) Remember that you can enjoy the party scene without the alcohol by opting for a non-alcoholic drink.

2. Avoid drugs. It has been said over and over again but temptation is ever lingering on campus. There will always be the one student or bunch of students that sell different types of drugs from the mild to the severe. It is safe to say that you can never be too sure as to what your drug consists of. You may think that you are purchasing a small bag of marijuana when in fact it is laced with many other harmful drugs. So when it comes time to pass the drug around head for the door or stand on the sidelines because one hit can get you hooked.

3. Limit partying to Friday nights and Saturdays. You do not want to get into the habit of partying throughout the weekday and even on Sundays. You should use your Sundays to rest your body and prepare for the following Monday. Partying while it may be fun it can tire your body out and distract your mind from what is important. Limit the amount of time that you spend partying.

4. Avoid getting serious in a relationship during you freshman and sophomore year. Once you enter college your mind needs to be set in study mode. If you fail to enter college with the right mindset you may have a rough start. Relationships take a great deal of time and play on the emotions. It can be difficult to commit to your studies and to your boyfriend or girlfriend. You can date but do not get too serious right away. Your junior and senior years are ideal times to look into long term relationships.

5. Avoid doing homework at the last minute. Homework is assigned to help you learn and master the material. When you wait until the last minute to complete your homework you do yourself a disservice because you do not take the time to look through the assignment and fully grasp it. Homework should be started the first day it is assigned and worked on over the course of days until it is due. Also, those who tend to wait last minute hand in poor work which affects their overall grade for the course.

6. Do not avoid extracurricular activities. Participating in extra curricular activities will look great on your resume and as well as future applications for transfer or graduate school. Participate in at least two clubs even if it's for two hours a week. Joining clubs is also a great way to meet people and make new friends.

7. Avoid playing hooky. It might have been fun to do back in high school but now it is not the time to do it. Unlike high school, missing a full day of college can mean missing out on crucial lectures that can't simply be made up. It is important to attend all sessions unless you have some medical emergency.