Page 49 - Foundations of Learning, 4th Edition (Revised)

Top Ten Tips for Students Entering College

The following list of tips was collected from first-year students at Madison Area Technical College during
the spring semester of 2008. The students were in English 1, English 2, and Native American Literature
classes taught by Karen Redfield. They represent a wide variety of backgrounds, academic fields, career
goals, and ages.

1. Be self-motivated.
2. Create structure in your daily life. Having a daily planner helps.
3. Learn to balance school and social life. Drugs and alcohol can become serious issues. (Don’t have

roommates who like to party a lot and think carefully about living with friends.)
4. Be aware that you may be sad leaving your family, friends, and the familiar in your high school or

work life.
5. Network with other students.
6. Get enough sleep and eat healthy foods whenever you can.
7. Get help making a financial plan. Work and save as much money as you can before school starts.
8. Talk with your teachers, and use tutors and other resources at your college.
9. Keep up with the reading and other assignments. Homework is actually useful.
10. Have fun. Don’t freak out or worry about things you can’t control.

CRITICAL REFLECTION

Complete the following Critical Reflection, where you will identify possible support systems and resources
or groups with whom John shares things in common.

Possible Support Systems

You’ve been introduced to John and know a bit about his background. What you probably didn’t know,
however, is that John really does feel overwhelmed by how many decisions he needs to make before he
can feel he’s really on track with college. Where should John go for help? What support groups might he
look into in order to find others who are experiencing the same challenges?

Chapter 2 — Strengthening Identity 43