Your College Life

1. Majority of the students are sure that they know everything about student`s life. But it is not so. During the first day in the university the students have to pay attention on all details and make as much notes as possible.
2. The students have to understand that besides studying in the class they have to study independently. According to the statistic the student have to spend two hours studying independently for every hour of class studying. It is desirable to study particular subject in same place and time. Besides homework the students have to read the notes, edit the, and ensure that they understand them. Besides, the students have to read additional materials and prepare for each class.
3. The students have to find particular place for the studying. The place must include: the desk, good lightening and comfortable chair. It must be study place without TV – set, radio or other entertainments.
4. The students have to understand that time right after and right before the classes is the best time to get acquainted with the group mates, so they must not be late.
5. It is good idea to do as much as possible during the day – time, because at night there are many other interesting things to do.
6. One more rule is to have ten minutes of break during the studying each hour. It is better to have several short sessions of studying instead of one long block.
7. During the first day of studying the students have to find out about university resources: videos, tutors, labs, computer programs, alternate texts, etc. Besides, the students have to get acquainted with advisors, teachers and professors.
8. Usually those students who study with their classmates have better academic grades. The studying is a routine and when the students study together they are more motivated and care about each other. Besides, the collective work helps to stay focused.
9. Study the less interesting and the hardest discipline first, because such studying needs the students to be fresh.

Time is very important resource for all people and for the students especially. Each student has many things which are interesting for him and which he wants to do in the life. If he will use his time wisely, he will achieve his goals in the life and will be successful. The way in which the person uses his time determinate many thing in the life: the pace of the day, the duration of different activities, the level of stress, free time and opportunities to entertain, how much time the person can devote to the friends and family, etc.
 
Because of it one of the most important skills for the college student is the time management and time arrangement. Each student can develop this skill. Each student has a list of wishes and goals. If the students will arrange his schedule in the proper way, he can do many things in life and achieve success. With the help of time management the students can influence on his life and make it interesting and impressive. If the student instead loses his time, he prevents his dreams to come true.
 
Nowadays there are many good strategies of time management and each person can choose the best variant which will suit all needs, wishes, interests, goal and character of the particular person. For some people the most important thing is to learn to waste less time, for some people the most interesting and essential thing is to determinate with the priorities and goals. There are many problems connected with time management and the special strategies help the people to avoid these problems.
 
There are several popular books which are devoted to the time management. They are: Time Tactics of Very Successful People by Eugene Griessman, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Steven R. Covey, Time Management: Proven Techniques for Making the Most of Your Valuable Time by Marshall J. Cook. Read these books and become successful!!!

Usually the students have many activities and events in their lives and it is very hard to remember all of them. If the student wants to be successful and to achieve many goals, he must have the skills of time management. The main and the most important technique of the time management is the schedule planning. Each student must have Day Planner, where he fixes his schedule and all things he has to do during particular period of time. Besides the studying the students participate in different university events, have part – time job, go in for sport, etc. So everything that the students want to do during the day must be written down in the day planner. There are different sizes and styles of the Day planner and each student can choose that day planner which will meet all his tastes and wishes.
 
First of all the students have to write down into day planner the classes and all events concerning the studying, such as starting dates of projects and study sessions, off – campus activities, competitions, downtime, classes cancellations, etc. The best day planner is that which have time of the day fixed on each line. It is very convenient and useful. In this case the student will be neater and motivated. Besides, in the day planner the students can plan all activities for different periods of time: year, quarter, semester, week, day, etc.
 
Sometimes the students have free time between the classes and it time can be also used in effective way. Planning in such way can increase the motivation, efficiency and productivity of the student. But the students have to take into account the main rule of time scheduling for the students: first of all they have to plan the studying activities and then the entertainment and free time.

Usually the students have many things to do during the week and they miss their classes or do not have time for entertainment. If the students will manage their time in a proper way and use for it techniques of the time management, they can achieve a success in the studying and reach their goals. The most necessary tool for the students is the day planner. Usually the day planners can be bought in the college bookstores, product shops, department’s stores or internet shops. There are many different sizes and styles of the day planners and each student can choose the planner which will suit his wishes and tastes.
 
The day planner is used to plan all events and activities in the life of particular person and the students must have the individual approach to their schedule planning.
 
The day planner must be portable and the students must have it always in the backpack or in the briefcase. If the student leaves the day planner at home, he can confuse the appointments and events in his schedule. So if the students have his day planner with him, he can be more flexible and he will never waste his time.
 
First of all the students have to write down all the classes, optional classes and university activities to the day planner. Fresh students who study their first year in the university usually think that they will be occupied from 8 to 2 p.m., as it was in the High Scholl and just transfer from classes to classes. In the university the schedule is more complicated and it is quite hard to remember what subject begins at 11.25 or 13.50. Besides, the university students usually are involved in other university activities, have part – time job and go in for sport, so they have to plan all events in their lives beforehand.

The students must have the skills of time management and self – organizing to be successful. Main recommendations how to achieve the success in the time management are described below.

1. Use one calendar. Some people use several calendars and organizers and because of it they confuse them with each other. The students usually have many things to do, many activities and appointment. If the students use two or more organizers, they can conflict.
2. The main rule refers to the color code. The student can note different activities in the schedule in different colors according to the importance – from the most important to the less important. For example, the priorities can be marked out with the help of green marker.
3. Write all plans down. If the student has many plans and activities, it is desirable to write them down immediately. In several minutes you will probably forget about new appointment or event.
4. Determinate how much time during the day you need to study and to work. When you determinate with the study time, find the time for the rest and divide the studying time into several sessions.
5. Try to study in the same time every day. It will help you to be motivated and self – organized.
6. Break it up. If you have a big task, try to make it smaller and to divide it into many small parts. It is better to cope with little problems.
7. Try to do first of all the most complicated tasks, when the mind is fresh. Interesting and easy subjects will be as a desert and will bring you pleasure in the end of the working day.
8. Get assistance. Do to be shy to ask for a help, if you need it. Your friend, classmate, relative or neighbor can help you.
9. Reward yourself. If you achieve a little goal, make yourself a little present, such as dessert or movie night.

For students it is very important to be self – motivated and organized. Below several recommendations how to become organized are described. Those students who are organized can arrange their schedule and manage their time in a proper way, can achieve their goals and be successful. To be good – organized the students have to:

1. Set goals. Every student has dreams, studying and career goals, but not everybody can determinate with these goals in time. When the student determinates with the life goals, he has to divide them into parts (mini- goals). It is easier to achieve the aims gradually. Besides, the students have to write down all goals on the piece of paper and make this paper notable. It is good motivation.
2. Do not rush. If the person makes all tasks during the day in time, he has better chances to avoid stress and to achieve the success.
3. Prepare your clothes beforehand in the evening. It will reduce the efforts in the morning and will save the time.
4. Avoid clutter. Do all tasks in time and have a plan of activities and events.
5. Make a list of essential events and activities. It will need only ten minutes a day, but it can save several hours.
6. Have effective and convenient study and work area. Do not eat during the studying and do not watch TV. If it is impossible to study at home, go to the library or another quite place.
7. Sleep at nights. In this case you will have fresh mind and will be ready to work and study the next day.
8. Eat healthy meal such as fruits, fish and vegetables and avoid sweets and fast food.
9. Avoid overload. Do not take many additional activities, but find free time to relax during the day.
10. Buy an organizer and calendar and use it.

For university students it is very important to be organized, but unfortunately many people do not understand what does it mean and how they can become organized and motivated. The main myths concerning self – motivation and organization are described below.

1. Some students think that being organized means the same as being beat. But these two features must not be confused. People can be neat and organized in the same time, but it is not the same. For example, the student can have many different boxes with little things, but when he has to find something in these boxes, he cannot find it, as he is not organized enough. When the person is organized, it means, that he has well structured system in his mind, which helps him to orient and do essential tasks without chaos, frustration and stress.
2. Sometimes students confirm that being organized means being clean. It is not true also. When the person is clean, he always study or work on the clean surface and in the clean place. But in the same time such person can be disorganized and have chaos in the thoughts.
3. Some people think that organized people have a timetable for every minute of the hour. It is also a myth. Undoubtedly, the person has to plan the appointments and other important events, but in the same time each person must have free time during the day and devote this time to entertainment and relaxation.
4. Not all people can be organized. It is also a myth. If the people are disorganized, it is their own decision and problem, but not a disease. If the person is ready to spend some time and efforts, he undoubtedly can become organized and self – disciplined.
5. Some students are sure that those people who are organized have to spend much time and efforts. In fact the disorganized people waste more time and efforts. If the students try to be organized all the time, they will need less time to do it in the future.
6. Organized people cannot entertain and have fun. In fact, organized people have all the best in their lives. They find time for everything in which they are interested in.

The students have usually many things to do. Those students, who want to be successful and to achieve many goals in their lives, must have skills of time management. The main technique of the time managing is the time scheduling. Unfortunately, time managements cannot do all people more productive and efficient, as majority of people cannot work according to the strict timetable. But the schedule can make the person more motivated and concentrated on the prospective goals. In the same time there are many lazy students who give up with the idea of time scheduling after several months of attempts.
 
Below the best method of time scheduling is described. It helped many people to make their work more productive. Time scheduling according to this scheme will not take much time. This method is very convenient and flexible. There are in general three main types of time scheduling: long term scheduling, intermediate scheduling and short time scheduling for immediate goals.

1. Long stage scheduling. Each student has some responsibilities and commitments. They must be fixed in the long term schedule first of all. It refers to those activities which must be done every week and every day, such as classes, job hours, organization meetings, sport competition, etc.
2. Intermediate Schedule means the schedule which is made for a week. Every week the person must done particular amount of work. It must be written down into schedule. In this schedule the student has to include the major events of the week which do not refer to the studying, for example: paper Tuesday, competition on Wednesday, quiz Monday, ball game Monday night, finish course work by Saturday, etc. This schedule must be changed every week, as every week the student has different tasks and events in the timetable.
3. Short Stage Schedule is made for everyday activities. The time managing for particular day need several minutes, but it can save several hours. Each student in the morning has to write down all the tasks he must do during the day. For example: review literature, make a call, go to the cinema, borrow a book, etc.

When the students enter the university they collide with many new tasks. One of the most difficult tasks is the writing exam. There are many different types of exams, but writing exams can scare the students. During the writing exams the students have to formulate their thoughts in the proper way and to do it very fast. Very often the students work several hours with a draft and do not have enough time in the end of exam to write all the answers on the fair copy. The students do not have to postpone it to the last minute. Those students, who want to be successful in their lives, achieve their studying and career goals and have good academic grades, must have good writing skills. The writing skills are not the inborn talent and each student can learn to write in a proper way. To have good writing skills the students must have several personal features, such as self – discipline, self – organization and responsibility. If the students have good motivation and are ready to study regularly and to work hard, they will undoubtedly achieve the results and they will justify all hopes. Below several recommendations are described which can help the students to develop their writing abilities. The writing skills can be practiced with the help of different activities, such as essay writing, writing class assignments, term papers, etc.
 
Those students who have a desire to develop their writing skills have to follow presented plan.

1. First of all the student has to write the introduction – so called opening paragraph. There are two main rules on this stage: to begin with a key statements and to present the main idea of the text in thesis form.
2. The second part of the writing paper is the body, which consists of three – four paragraphs. Each paragraph must include: repeating of the key words and thesis, which help the paragraph to be connected with each other; developing of the main statements with the help of details, illustrations, examples, comparisons; conclusion of the paragraph with the summary of the main idea of the extract.
3. The writing paper ends with the conclusion. In this part the student has to restate the key statements and thesis and end with the final statement.

All the students have to remember much educational information and have it in the mind. Especially it refers for such subjects as foreign languages, as the students have to remember thousands of foreign words and to know the meaning of such words. During the studying many students collide with a problem of poor vocabulary. Below some tips how to increase the vocabulary and to make it fast and effective are described. The person increases his vocabulary during the life. It is permanent and continuous process. The main thing the people have to do is to choose the best method of word remembering and use it during the studying. Usually in the childhood people remember the words faster, as they collide every day with new life situations and it is very impressive and exciting for them. The children often ask the questions to their parents and other adult people and they are motivated to learn more. According to the researches the children knew about 5.600 words in the age of 4, in the age of 5 - 9.600 words, in the age of 6 – 14.700 words, in the age of 7 – 21.200, in the age of 8 – 26.300, in the age of 9 – 29.300, in the age of 10 – 34.000. In the college the students usually knows about 120.000 words.
 
This statistic data confirms that the more people learn, the more words they know. It does not matter how old are you, you have to continue your learning all the time during the life.
 
To increase the vocabulary the person can do the following things: read, as the more the person read, the more words he learns; try to use new words in everyday communications and situations, use the dictionary as often as possible and pay attention on different meanings of the same word; try to learn 5-10 new words every day.