People Are Sharing Their Best College Tips And I Wish I Knew Some Of These Before I Got My Degree
In one Reddit thread (which you can see here), former students shared their best college advice, and I honestly wish someone had told me these before I got my degree. Here are 19 of the most helpful tips:
1."Set specific daily productivity goals, whether that be cleaning the toilet, cleaning out the fridge, meeting with a professor to talk about an assignment, talking to mom for like 15 minutes, etc."
"I struggled in college because I tended to procrastinate, and then at the end of each day, I was bummed out because I didn't get anything done."
–zachhernandez17
Related:
2."READ THE SYLLABUS – it tells you when every exam is and how your grade is weighted. I got a C in a course I originally had an A in because I didn't bother reading that a 10-point assignment was worth 20% of my grade, so I skipped it. Mistakes were made."
–dumbest
3."Don't buy into the 'Cs get degrees' crap, especially if you're a STEM major or want to go to grad school. The job market for internships and full-time positions is extremely competitive."
–Wajirock
4."If you're living on campus, budget time for exercise/sports. The freshman 15 is very real – make it 15 pounds of muscle, not 15 pounds of endless cafeteria food and booze."
–ImAStruwwelPeter
5."Take your required English classes first. It'll teach you how to write better papers, which you'll do a lot of for other classes. Some classes make you better at their subject. English classes make you better at all subjects."
–Smart_Ass_Dave
6."If you feel like your major is not for you, SWITCH OUT! I had a gut feeling my Biology major was not for me, but I stuck it out because I spent a shit ton of money (I went to an expensive university)."
"I was absolutely miserable, and it's one of my biggest life regrets. I still managed to graduate with honors, but it was not easy at all. Luckily, I was smart and added my sociology minor, which allowed me to think more freely and critically challenge ideas (It felt good)."
–positivemale
Related:
7."Keep the door open to your room. It will let people know you are there, and they will come and talk to you. It's the easiest way to meet people that you will be living next to for a year."
–UberTork
8."Have your resume checked and rechecked every year, and go to as many mock interviews as you can."
–morethannecessary
9."Your group of friends from welcome week will NOT be the same people you hang out with during your senior year, and that's okay. Don't continue with friendships just because you feel like you have to."
–I_am_the_butt
10."Buying books is a waste of your money. Rent them, take the notes you need (and save them if it's for a major-specific class), and send them back at the end of the semester."
–localtrashgoblin
Related:
11."Depending on your career, major, and future goals, college is a great time to network. Maintaining a good relationship with my professor and putting forth a lot of effort helped keep me at the front of his mind when people came to him asking for web developers. That's how I got my current job."
–Raze321
12."When your teacher gives you practice test questions before an exam, copy them verbatim and search them within quotes on Google. They're probably using a test bank that you can find for free. Even if they change the exact questions on the exam, you still will have really good questions to practice with."
–RugratsReruns
13."Take advantage of the office hours for your professors. Especially at large universities, that little bit of effort will help you stand out and be remembered. It's amazing how much 'benefit of the doubt' and leeway I received from my professors simply because I was known to them."
–Dmnjuice
14."Do bring Tupperware to the dining hall. Even if they say it isn't allowed, do it. I would always sneak the extra food on my plate into a container and eat it the next day. Saved my ass when I was broke my freshman year."
–Faith-Hope-TacoBell
15."Campuses have SO much free stuff. Especially during frosh week, there is usually free food everywhere."
"Follow big clubs like the health/wellness centre, the student centre, etc. on social media and pay attention to when they host events or have tables set up around campus and go get the free stuff like food, tshirts, coffee, mugs, etc. (You're paying for it anyway with the tuition that goes toward that club/organization/group!)."
–fliffers
Related:
16."Join a sports team or a club. These people will be your crew and will stay your friends long after you graduate. I am still best buds with my teammates from almost 15 years ago."
–fivekilometer22
17."Know your deadlines and stick to them. Professors have heard every excuse under the sun and won't take 'I didn't know when it was due' or 'I didn't know I couldn't copy without citing' as an excuse ever."
–echelon_01
18."When you get a project/assignment/essay, just start it straight away !!!! Even if it's just googling your assignment, think about it and get the first paragraph or sentence down. If you do this, it's much easier to get it done a few weeks down the line when you've left it to the last minute."
"Starting a project can feel so daunting and overwhelming, but even if you have the smallest of starts already done, you are both consciously and subconsciously thinking about that project when you're not doing it. Therefore, when you eventually get around to doing it, you're not arsing around wondering where to start."
–namethannumbers
19.And finally, "Pass your classes and take an interest, BUT the most important learning at College and University takes place outside of the classroom. Learn how to take care of yourself. Take part in the community. Volunteer. Vote."
–idonthavehobbies
Do you have any advice that belongs on this list? Let me know in the comments!
Also in Internet Finds:
Also in Internet Finds:
Also in Internet Finds:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
How many students are homeless in Austin ISD?
AUSTIN (KXAN) – With more than 70,000 students, Austin Independent School District is the largest school district in Central Texas. About 1,000 of those students are experiencing homelessness, according to AISD data. KXAN requested data about students in AISD experiencing homelessness from 2019 to 2025 back in December. At that time there were 1,368 students who were experiencing homelessness in the district. The number of students can rise and fall through the year, as this population does move from time-to-time, and it can happen unexpectedly. Since 2019, the numbers of students experiencing homelessness has increased and decreased from year-to-year, but overall the numbers have remained above 1,200 students. The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law that ensures homeless children and youth have access to public education just like their housed peers. 1,000+ students in Round Rock ISD considered homeless, numbers keep rising Districts around the state keep track of these at-risk kids and also keep tabs on where they are staying. According to the McKinney-Vento Act, students are considered homeless if they are unsheltered, living in a motel or hotel, living in a shelter or transitional housing, or if they are doubled up with other families in an apartment or home. In 2025, AISD had about 35 students who were unsheltered, about 280 students were living in shelters or transitional housing, about 70 students were living in motels or hotels and more than 970 students were doubling up — which is where multiple families are living under one room. There are many students across the state that go unidentified, though, some have no idea that there is help available. 'All this comes down to strong relationships between educators and students, and making sure we know where, one, where all our kids are coming from; and, two, they have to feel comfortable opening up when there is some kind of difficulty in their home life.' A closer look at the data shows the majority of the schools with high numbers of students experiencing homelessness are in north, east and south Austin. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gen Z's latest obsession — coming out as ‘graysexual': What it means, and how they're discovering they're ‘gray'
They're not gay — they're 'gray.' A surprising number of people are choosing to identify as 'graysexual,' with many now sharing the moment they realized they were 'gray.' Graysexuality exists in what many describe as a 'gray area' between being allosexual – experiencing regular sexual attraction — and asexual — experiencing none. Those who identify as graysexual may feel sexual attraction rarely, inconsistently, or only under specific circumstances. Reddit users are posting in the r/Graysexuality subreddit — a growing online community of over 8,300 members — about their experiences dating and being intimate. In one post, user @The_Archer2121 explained that they had spent much of their life assuming they were just a 'late bloomer.' Crushes came 'decades apart,' rarely lasted long, and they often didn't feel sexual attraction — even to their own boyfriend. As Dan Beeson, a graysexual man from London, told Cosmopolitan UK, 'Graysexual… is not 'I just don't fancy it tonight'. For me, it's being completely devoid of sexual desire in bouts, which can last months, and then one day waking up and realising that instinct has returned.' 'I'd been aware my drive for sex wasn't as regular as others, but I just put it down to my own relationship with sex. That may still be true, but finding out others were having similar feelings and there was at least a community of some number of us was reassuring,' he added. Others online chimed in with similar stories. One user said they only ever felt 'true' sexual attraction once in their life, explaining, 'When I see someone attractive, I don't have that 'I'd hit that' internal feeling. I just want to be near them.' Another recalled being pressured to experiment with sex in college, confused about why their peers seemed to experience desire so intensely and frequently. 'Ended up getting married (not a good life choice), and things didn't go well in the sexual department.' 'I was constantly ridiculed and pressured into doing things that I didn't want to do.' That mismatch in sexual expectations eventually led the person to discover graysexuality through online communities. One person wrote that their attraction would 'turn on' only every few months, making them flip-flop between identifying as allosexual and asexual, until they found graysexuality — and a sense of peace. Interest in graysexuality is growing rapidly — especially with Gen Z. On platforms like TikTok and YouTube, videos exploring the term are gaining thousands of views. Creators like podcaster Mark (@notdefining) have helped bring nuance to the identity, describing it as 'a bit of sexual attraction… but to a low degree.' Many assume that graysexual people don't want romantic relationships or are simply repressed. But as psychotherapist Jane Czyzselska explains, 'It can be hard in both queer and wider culture to confidently own a sexuality that acknowledges desire differently.' She encourages those exploring the label to reflect on what contexts spark or suppress desire, and to trust their own changing boundaries. 'No one should tell you who you should be or who you are,' she says. The term graysexual first appeared on the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) in 2006 and has since become an important identity for those who never quite fit into the binary of sexual or asexual. Some people who identify as graysexual may also relate to terms like demisexual — sexual attraction only after a strong emotional bond — queer, or pansexual. As one Reddit user summed it up: 'I was so repressed in this regard out of pure confusion… It was such a relief to finally have a word for how I feel.' The rise of identities like graysexuality comes amid what researchers are calling a 'sex recession' — with younger generations reporting fewer sexual partners and less interest in sex overall. But rather than a simple lack of desire, experts like writer Carter Sherman argue it's more nuanced, involving social media pressure, body image issues, and political anxieties. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
8 hours ago
- CBS News
Texas man reunited with his lost college ring 56 years after it slipped into the Long Island sound
After spending more than a half century at the bottom of the Long Island Sound, a long lost college ring has been reunited with its owner. It's thanks to Port Jefferson resident Dave Orlowski, who uses a metal detector to hunt for history and treasures. He's unearthed dozens of jewels, but their owners can be unknowable. "I don't do it for money. I do it for the thrill," Orlowski said. "You never know what you're going to pull out." Weeks ago, at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai, Orlowski pulled out a priceless treasure, complete an ID. "It said Alfred DiStefano, class of 1969, Fordham University," Orlowski said. That started another hunt. Orlowski contacted Karen Manning, the Facebook page administrator for the Fordham Class of '69. "Al sent me a message, and I said did you lose your ring, your Fordham ring, and he said yes, a long time ago," Manning explained. Fifty six years ago, to be precise. The ring was shipped to Alfred DiStefano in Texas, where the retired doctor had his postman record the reunion. "This is a miracle. I couldn't describe it any other way," he said. He recalled watching the sunset on a pier near Cedar Beach in 1969. "I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember watching it slip off my finger into the water, and it was deep," he said. "I said, it's gone." DiStefano said the gold palladium ring held up remarkably well after spending 56 years in the Long Island Sound. "It's great. I haven't taken it off since I got it. I figured if I make it another 56 years, it will be on my finger. They can bury me in it," he said. The ring, worth about $100 in 1969, could now have been sold for more than $3,000. Orlowski credits his wife for helping him decide it was worth far more than its weight in gold. "She said if it were your ring, you would want it returned, and I said question answered, right there," Orlowski said. "I think a lot of people would not go out of their way, the extra mile. He did, and I really appreciate it," DiStsfano said. "He's very happy. It makes me happy that it made him happy," Orlowski said. The ring was buried more than a foot deep. With the help of good hearts, it found its way home.
