5 High School Habits To Drop Before College

Remember in elementary school when your teachers would often say “oh when you get to middle school things will be so much different and you won’t be able to do this and that...” but then you get to middle school and lo and behold, everything is pretty much the same. Then you would hear the same lecture in middle school about high school and once more, it was all just talk to scare you a little.

Although it would make sense to believe that college wouldn’t be much different than high school, i can assure you it’s definitely not the case. In order to have a successful high school to college transition, it is imperative that high school students break and replace the common habits listed below.

Not reading your class’s assigned books

News Flash: You actually have to read your textbooks instead of using them as coasters and whatnots. I was talking to my friend the other day and she was telling me how annoying it is that she actually has to read her textbooks now that she’s in college instead of barely cracking them open like she had done in high school. It was so funny to hear her rant about it because all i could do was reminisce on the time i was in her place my freshmen year, ranting about the same thing.

When you think about it, we really had it easy in high school. We had free textbooks which we barely read. Meanwhile in college, you have to pay for your own OVERPRICED textbooks and you have to read them. Sparknotes won’t come to your rescue anymore either. You’re going to have reading quizzes and sometimes you might not even get a heads up from your professor. All to say, when you get reading assignments, it’s in your best interest to follow through.

Not studying for tests

Oh how i miss the good ol’ days in high school when i barely worried about exams. Most of the time i would study for an exam the day before and call it a day. Meanwhile in college, i have done everything but pull my hair out during finals.

You absolutely cannot take this habit to college. I repeat you can NOT take this habit with you to college. You’re going to have to learn to study over a period of time for upcoming exams and not the day before. Not only is it a better study strategy, but you will also learn a lot more than you ever will with the day of or day before habit.

Procrastination

If i’m being honest, this will likely follow you to college (it followed me!). Procrastination is a pest you can’t easily get rid of. With that being said, i advise you to try your hardest to get rid of this habit, which has the potential to make your life a living hell in college.

Procrastinating in college is a whole different ball game than it is in high school. You could procrastinate in high school and still be able to turn in a decent assignment. Whereas, a lot more is expected of you in college and the amount of time you spend working on an assignment will reflect on your grades.

Don’t be surprised if what would have earned you a B+ in high school may earn you a C- or worse in college. Moral of the story? It is always best not to procrastinate at all, but if you do, do so at your own risk because you will not receive any favors from your professors

Expecting teachers to remind you about missed homework

assignments.

College is whole new ball game than high school. You get a syllabus that tells everything you need to know about the class. All your assignments will be on it and sure your professor will verbally present them to you, but after then you’re on your own. This is especially tricky with long term assignments that students often tend to forget about. If there’s a big research paper due a month or two, don’t expect your professor to remind you about it every other day.

It is your job and your job alone to remember when your assignments are due. And if you happen to forget about them, that’s on you as well.  

Not asking for help when you need it

At this point we’ve pretty much established that college is almost nothing like high school. While you were able to do most if not all of your work on your own in high school, you are probably not going to be able to follow the same pattern in college for the fact that more is demanded of you.

Whether you’re struggling with your chemistry homework or your literature paper, there are multiple resources on campus readily available to help you. Your professor most certainly has office hours, don’t be afraid to stop by and ask for help. That’s what office hours are for.

If you would much rather have things explained to you by your peers, there are students tutors available for most subjects. If you’re feeling under the weather, there are counselors you can surely talk to.  Remember, a lot of these resources are made available with the help of your tuition money. You’re simply using what you’re paying thousands of dollars to your college for. I know being in college we all want to learn how to “adult,” but asking for help when you need it does not make you less of an adult than the next person.

-Yvanne

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