Misconceptions About College

5 Biggest Misconceptions about College

High school is made to "prepare students for life" (college, military, trade school, the workforce, etc.).  However, that is not always the case. There are misconceptions told that give students the wrong impression.

1. "College is easier than high school." Comparing high school to college is comparing apples to orange. College is what you make of it, so is high school. The difference between the two is the gray area. 

2. "The professors do not care about you." That is a flat out lie. With bigger classes, it is hard for the professors with large classes to have a personal connection with every student. Truth. Professors are not going to give you the grade you want. You will have to work for it. Truth.  If you choose to go to office hour the professor will help you.

3. "There is no help."  One of my larger classes has 14 TA's.  If that is no help, then I don't know what help is.

4. "You should NEVER buy textbooks from the bookstore." The school's bookstore is not as bad as they make it seem. I would advise you buying any e-book from the actual source because typically those access codes are marked up 30% in the bookstore. The other books, check all of the sites people tell you as well as the bookstore and consider shipping and how used the books are before you decide where to buy.

5. "You will never have time for anything else." You will have time for whatever you make time for.  If you rather take long "social media breaks" doing your homework than getting it done right away you will not have as much time to do other things later on. Finding the Study-Sleep-Party balance is completely true. Managing your time will be the single most important thing to making sure you have time to do the things you want to do. (More information about planning at Planner Pickett Blog)

How First Semester Is Unlike Anything Else

So You Think You Know It All?

Freshman year is nothing like you would expect. All of the blogs in the world could not prepare you for the journey you are up for.

1. You will call a majority of your teachers and professors by their first names. Some professors will want to be addressed by "Dr. (insert last name)" and that is okay. Respect them. They worked hard for their doctorate and are proud of it.

2. You can be dropped for missing too many classes. You set your own schedule.

3. Your mom can't call you in anymore.  In most cases, missing class requires a Dean's excuse. The Dean wants you in class so unless there is no possible way you can be in class, go.

4. There is a drastic reduce in "busy work." Professor's and TA's would like to grade the least amount of work as possible. Therefore less busy work is assigned to give you more time to work on the bigger projects and study for tests.

5. There are less days off. *SPOILER ALERT* There is no Columbus Day off.

6. Your schedule is how you make it. If you know 8am does not work for you, don't chance it. Someone (possibly you) are paying to be in school. Do not get dropped from your classes because you don't like waking up or you cannot learn at 6pm.

7. You don't have to buy every book. Look for free e-books. Check ratemyprofessor.com to see what the other students say about textbook use.

8.  Your advisor will not pull you out of class. You schedule your own appointments, you can schedule during class time but your advisor will not come and get you to ask you a question about your grades or things of such.

9. Stalling the professor is no longer cool or funny. We are no longer in the business of wasting time. Time is money and any material the professor does not cover will be up to you as a student to learn.

10. You are in control of your own life.  The world is at your hands.  Use your resources.  Your advisors, professors, and peers will only be as useful as you make them. If you write someone off as unhelpful, you will not get what they have to offer.  Nobody is going to hold your hand but rather offer you resources to solve your problems.

Sylla-whaat?!

How to Make Use of Time During Syllabus Week

Syllabus week make seem like the perfect time to blow off your responsibilities. However it is actually the WORST time to waste time.

First Impressions are Lasting Impressions. If you come come to class late or hungover the first week, it will not go unnoticed. People may not want to work with you if they think you are irresponsible.

Setting the tone. If you want the TAs or professor to notice your participation, the first week is the perfect time. Falling asleep in the back will give the impression that you do not care about your education. It will also give your classmate the idea that you are not someone to take seriously.

Preparing yourself. About a month in, you may feel like you're drowning. A great way to prevent that feeling is by taking time out now to prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed.

1. Use your syllabus. When you get the syllabus for a class, highlight office hours and locations, transfer all important dates to your calendar systems. Make yourself familiar with the attendance, grading, and extra credit policies. If color coding is what you do, color code it while you are updating it. If you are unsure whether or not you plan on dropping the class, pencil it in. That way, if you drop the class you can erase it and if you don't you can leave it or go over it with a fun pen!

2. Keep your syllabus.  I mostly use my computer for notes, so I keep all of my syllabi in one place for later reference. Other bloggers suggest keeping the syllabus with class notes/work. It does not matter where you choose to keep them. Stay consistent and remember where you keep them.

3. Stick with what works. If you have a good system, make improvements but don't completely change it. What works for you may not work for someone else and vice versa.

4. Get out of your comfort zones. Try something new. Whether it be a new organization idea or sitting in the front of the class, trying something you wouldn't normally do will help you do set this semester apart from the rest.

5. Make a new friend. I've said this before and I will say it again. Make a friend in every class. This will be someone you can study with and keep up with the class.

6. Have fun. This will probably be one of the only weeks you are virtually free from responsibility. Have fun and don't let the stress of the upcoming semester weigh you down!

Good luck this semester,

~Jay

Taco Tuesday: Skillet

Making tacos is as easy as 1. 2. 3. These are great after a long day and you are looking for a quick meal. They are super simple for the nice cook like myself.

Servings: 6-8
Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:
16 ounces ground turkey (or beef)
1/2 pack of your favorite taco seasoning pack
Water
Flour Shells
Embellishments (Lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, guac, etc.)

Steps:
1. Add a small amount of water and begin browning meat in skillet over a medium heat.
2. Rinse Meat once brown
3. Add water and seasoning to meat over heat until enough

Serve:
1. Warm shells (if desired)
2. Embellish tacos and Enjoy!

College can consume your life. Making these quick and simple tacos will be great for any day of the week. Because they are so quick, you do not even have to make them for dinner. Instead of eating out, invite your friends over during a break between classes and have lunch together. ~Jay

16 Tips to Improve Study Habits in 2016

With the new year approaching, many people will be adding "become a better student" to their New Years Resolution. I have a few tips that may help in accomplishing your new goal.

1. Go over syllabi before the first day of class. Highlight all important information (dates major assignments are due, test dates, contact information, etc.). Write any questions you may have down about what will be expected of you over the course of the semester. If they are unanswered the day you go over the syllabus in class, do not forget to ASK your questions..

2. Restock on supplies. Make sure you have plenty of paper, pens, printer ink and index cards.

3. Shake hands with each professor. This is especially important in large lectures. You want your professor to notice you and notice your performance in class. 

4. Stop skipping class. Every class is important. If it wasn't then the professor wouldn't be teaching it. Missing days to handle personal business or because you are sick is one thing. It is another to miss because you do not feel like going.

5. Make a friend in every class. An upperclassman gave me that advice and it worked wonders. If you miss class you automatically have one person you can ask about the information you missed in class. It also helps make the school feel smaller when you recognize them outside of class.

6. Not all attention is good attention. Professors do not like the people who cause distractions (talking, playing on your phone, etc.). Students do not like the person that start debates (in most classes) so avoid talks about religion, politics, and other fire starters.

7. Respect the professor. The professors and TAs have knowledge to offer you. If you would rather not be in class, do not waste anyone's time by taking up space in the class.

8. Understand that you control your ability to learn. You may not like your professor but you're paying to be in the class for a semester so do not waste your time or money. Even if the teaching style does not suit your learning style, there is something to be gained from the class.

9. Take your time on assignments. Do not rush through your work. If you do, you may not fully understand. Whoever is grading the assignment can tell you rushed and will base the rest of your potential off of that.

10. Study. If you have never studied before, learn what study methods work for you the best.

11. Take better notes. If the PowerPoint is provided, do not write any information from the slides in class. Write things the professor repeats, star things that the professor says are important, and rewrite your notes after class.

12. Work as if there is no curve. You never know how the curve will affect you. It will rarely affect you negatively but you should be able to accept the grade you earned if the professor decided not to curve that semester.

13. Take advantage of extra credit. Those opportunities are not guaranteed in every class. You have to remember "grades are earned and not given" so not all professors will give extra credit or curve grades.

14. Make corrections. Don't be afraid to ask your teacher to see your test. Go over anything you may still be unsure about. If your final is cumulative you will be glad. If the final is not cumulative, the information may still be important or helpful to know.

15. Accept your mistakes. Understanding where you went wrong will help you to figure out how to correct yourself and not make the same mistake twice.

16. Believe in yourself. You are your own worst enemy. The only thing stopping your success is you so believe and achieve.

Hopefully my tips will help you to put your best foot forward and earn the gpa you want. Good luck. 

~Jay