Back to College: Tips for those Getting a Second Chance
It’s that time of year. Happy children dance and model their new Back to School clothes in ads and commercials. Dorm room supplies fill the first few rows of your neighborhood home goods store. It’s time for everyone from elementary school children to doctoral students to head back to school. When you’re an adult enrolling in college after an unsuccessful attempt at higher education, you might wonder how you can prepare yourself for the road ahead. Whether the gap in your education is a few years or a few decades, here are some tips about how to get ready for the demands ahead of you.
Check with Your School About What Supplies you Need
If you go to a technology-driven school, you might need a new computer to handle the programs and classwork that you’re going to have. Other schools, such as health science or nursing schools, might require you to purchase scrubs or other tools that you will be using for a certain class or throughout the semester. If you have any questions, check with someone at the school. You want to make sure you show up on first day with everything you need to be successful.
Find Supplies that Complement Your Learning Style
When it comes to picking out school supplies, we all have that little voice in the back of our minds that will tell us when we’re not going to use something. If you have never been successful with flashcards, it might not be a good idea to load up on note cards. There are always old standbys like laptops, notebooks, organizational planners, calendars, and pens.
Choose items that you know you will use and will help you in your education. Some people enjoy taking notes on a laptop; others always opt for pen and paper. However you learn, find a way to help yourself take in the important information, record it, and be able to study from it.
Your college or university might also have a suggested supply list for incoming students. Get one when you can. Many lists are even available online, and work from that. It might be tempting to go overboard and purchase everything; those flashcards won’t do you much good if they just collect dust.
Mentally Prepare Yourself for Going Back to School
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in going back to school is thinking that your college or university won’t have a very big impact on your life. Meanwhile, nothing could be further from the truth. You will have to block out class time, study time, relaxation time so your brain can take a rest after a long day. Beyond class time, you will be taking tests, quizzes, exams, putting together projects, and much more.
Don’t wait until you have to make major changes in your life in order to shoehorn your school duties in. Rule out some times during the day that are just for schoolwork. It might be tempting to go out with friends or have a long dinner with family on exam week, but school has to be a priority in your life.
Communicate With Instructors or Advisors
It’s never a good idea to wait until you have a massive problem before asking for help. If you feel overwhelmed, confused, even frustrated, reach out to your advisor or instructor and ask them for advice. Even if they can’t fix your problem completely, working with them can help you to see what you did wrong and how to avoid it in the future.
It’s also good to check in with instructors if they go over a topic you don’t understand. If they can’t help you at that moment, they can direct you to other resources to help you get a better understanding of the lesson and follow up to see how you’re doing. Remember, people usually say they asked for help too late. They rarely note they asked for help too early.
Are you interested in going back to school? If you’re ready to take the plunge and earn a college degree, consider ECPI University for your education. With online and on-campus classes and degrees ranging from associates to master’s, there is truly a class to fit everyone’s needs. For more information, connect with a friendly admission advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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