College is the first step in adult life. It can often be hard, but by taking advantage of the great tips that follow, you will have what it takes to succeed.

Take a bottle of water with you to class. You absolutely must be sure to drink enough water day in and day out. If you have a full schedule and have to skip meals, you should at least make sure you get enough water. Drinking during the day frequently allows you to keep focused on what you’re doing. You can even refill your bottle at a water fountain.

Visit the admissions office of any prospective college. From here, you’ll learn about different scholarship opportunities available for certain schools. A lot of colleges have scholarships that are only for their students. If you go to the admissisons and meet with a rep you can find out if you can get extra help.

Get your general education requirements fulfilled in the beginning. If there are classes that must be taken in order to graduate, work on knocking those out early to make room for more enjoyable coursework. You certainly do not want to find yourself the lone senior amongst a class comprised only of freshman.

Be sure to make use of local transportation. You are going to find that it is not much longer to sit on the bus on the way to school. You can end up saving yourself a ton of time because you won’t need to hunt around for open parking spaces near the campus. You don’t have to pay for gas and parking passes. If you are interested in “going green,” this is a great opportunity to make that impact.

When thinking about housing arrangements for college, be sure to give careful consideration to whether or not you will need your vehicle. It may be hard to find free parking. You may also have trouble paying for your insurance, registration and gasoline, especially if you are not employed.

It may seem best to buy books long before a class starts, but you may save some cash if you wait until the first day of each class. You might not need all of the required textbooks. This is often the case with online courses. Many times, all you need to complete these classes is already online.

Instead of taking the easiest courses, choose classes that you will truly enjoy, even if they challenge you. You’ll be a better student for it. Difficult classes can help you learn more, and may even provide you with valuable contacts that can be of assistance when you begin your career.

Program the number for campus security into your phone. It should be very simple to contact the campus police and security departments, so be sure that you are familiar with the procedure. It is rare to need campus security; however, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Take notes during class. Taking notes in and of itself aids in learning. It will also make studying easier because you will understand it. Even if you are feeling sure of yourself, it is important to take notes.

Make sure you take breaks. It is good to study, but you also have to take breaks. For each hour you devote to your studies, you should take a 15 minute break to refresh your brain. Make a schedule and stick with it.

If you are just entering into college, be conservative when scheduling your courses. Never take on too many challenging courses in a single term, especially if you are holding down a job at the same time. If you take on too much, it can lead to a poor performance in even your easier classes. Try choosing one or two hard classes and three easier ones.

Refrain from plagiarizing as the consequences can be extreme. It’s likely that you’re going to write numerous papers during your college years. Take steps to ensure that you understand proper citation to avoid even unintentional plagiarism. Professors can check for plagiarism in many different ways; therefore, you should take all the precautionary steps to ensure that you aren’t plagiarizing.

You should never make a hasty decision about your major; there is always time for that. This will give you the chance to determine which major feels right for you. Plus, you’ll be earning credits that will count toward your major, and possibly enough credits in another subject to earn a minor as well.

Create a sleep schedule while attending college. You will stay quite busy, and it is easy to fall behind on sleep. Sleep deprivation will make it difficult to focus on the important things, like your studies.

Go to social events during orientation so that you can get to know people. If you’re new to the area, this is a great way to make more friends. When you meet people early on, you’ll feel like you belong quicker.

College can be scary and exciting at the same time, but avoid worrying about it. With your new freedom, you need time set aside for going to class and studying. The only reason you are at college is so you can learn and grow as a person.

Do the best job that you can in your work study positions, even if they have nothing to do with your major. Employers will consider your education, but they put more emphasis on experience. If you work hard in this type of position, you can pay down your student debt while gaining valuable experience.

Every once in awhile, take a break from your studies. Studying too much can easily burn you out. Your folks may want you to study all the time, but that really isn’t wise. It is okay to take breaks; you will learn more this way.

Making decisions about college is very challenging these days, even for a prepared student. You’ll suddenly find yourself having to make all of your own decisions. Take these tips into consideration and you’ll have a much easier time.