Whether you’re beginning your freshmen year or returning as a seasoned senior,Questia (www.questia.com), the premier online research tool for students, has compiled a list of the top six college rules that you’ll actually want to follow throughout your academic career.
- Pay Attention to Your Credit Card: While this is a rule that rings true throughout your life, there’s no time like college to solidify healthy spending, saving and bill-paying habits. Getting a credit card in college is a great way to gradually build up credit if you’re responsible, but it can also build your debt if you are not. Utilize online banking and financial sites to help you budget properly. Some will even send you email and text reminders as you get closer to reaching your credit limit and due dates.
- Respect Your Space: Student housing, such as dorms or academic communities, are fun and helpful when it comes to meeting people and acclimating to college life. For many students, this is their first opportunity to live alone (or with a roommate), which is both thrilling and terrifying. Be respectful of dorm rules, especially when it comes to banned appliances, removing window screens and minding quiet hours. Not allowed to have hot plates or toasters in your room? There’s probably a reason for it. Minding the rules will not only keep you safe, it can potentially save you money down the road since you’ll be charged for all damage done to the room as well as repair costs.
- Go to Class: Whether it was a long night of studying, a great party or the undeniable allure of your fluffy pillows and cloud-like comforter, everyone has days when they simply can’t make it out of bed. While taking a personal health day here and there shouldn’t be an issue, making a regular habit of it is a serious problem. Not only do many professors count attendance towards your final grade, but you run the risk of missing unannounced quizzes and details shared in class. College is astronomically expensive for most, and if you can’t bother to make it to class, why spend the money?
- Be Mindful of Social Media: This may not be a rule, per se, but being wary of your social media posts during your college years can pay off tremendously when you begin your first job hunt after graduation. With the abundance of digital cameras and smart phones, it’s easier than ever to quickly upload photos and videos to your social network. While this is generally a fun, appropriate way to share with friends, it’s important to keep a filter on the thoughts and images you make public. If you don’t have that kind of self-control, limit your number of friends or tailor your privacy settings accordingly.
- Keep Your Options Open: Whether it’s taking a class that interests you, joining a new student organization or exploring your college town a bit more (aside from your favorite stores and restaurants), use your college years to stay open to new experiences. You may think that you have your future figured out before stepping foot onto campus—and maybe you do—but don’t limit yourself to one area of interest. Try them all and find what you love!
- Stay Healthy: There’s no question that pizza at 2:00 A.M. is delicious, and there’s nothing wrong with indulging every once in a while. However, it is important to be mindful of your nutrition and remember that pounds can pile up faster than you realize. Take advantage of the fitness center on campus, walk around campus or your college town, if possible, and remember to incorporate fresh foods into your diet as much as possible. It’s important to go out and have fun, but if you don’t properly care for yourself, your health and potentially your grades will suffer.
About Cengage Learning and Questia
Cengage Learning is a leading provider of innovative teaching, learning and research solutions for the academic, professional and library markets worldwide. Questia, part of Cengage Learning, is the web’s premier online collection of copyrighted fiction and non-fiction books, academic journals, and research periodicals for students; with integrated tools for note taking, organizing research, citing sources, creating footnotes, and building bibliographies to help students write better research papers faster. For more information, visit www.cengage.com or www.questia.com.
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