1. Take on a 9-to-5 mentality.
There's no simpler or more powerful success tool we could give
you. Start early every day and don't finish until dinner. You
were in high school eight hours per day, every day. That same
daily effort in college will produce better results for you than
any other single thing you can do.
2. Get organized.
In high school, teachers talk to each other and spread tests
and major assignments over the semester. In college, it will be
you, not your teachers, who will manage your schedule. Start by
copying key dates from each of your syllabi in chronological
order into a planner. The only way to avoid getting "crushed"
when you have two exams and two major papers due in a given week
is to know that this train wreck is coming several weeks in
advance.
3. Seek out a study spot.
Find your place to study effectively. It should be quiet and
isolated—and offer no chance to meet a date for Saturday night.
Clear losers here are your dorm room, a crowded student union, or
a busy section of the library. If you're going to put in the
time, make the most of it.
4. Sit in the "worst" seat.
That's right, sit front and center in every class. You'll have
plenty of opportunities to be cool outside the classroom. If you
sit up front, you'll be forced to pay attention—no matter how
boring you may find a lecture. If you have a question, you'll be
more likely to ask it. The professor will also get to know your
face—not a bad thing to have happen if you might need to
negotiate on a test score later.
5. Write down your goals.
You may wonder why it's worth the effort. You won't realize
why until you take the time to do it. Something about writing
down your goals helps make them happen. Believe it or not, it
really works. Pull out a clean sheet of paper and write down your
first-year goals. Break them into academics, extracurricular
activities, and work experience. You'll be amazed 12 months from
now at how effective you were at reaching those personal
objectives that you were willing to commit to paper.