Go to Class (Week 3 of Semester 1)
College Transition 101
It’s stating the obvious. Right? Go to class. However, it’s so easy to do the opposite and not go to class.
Read this High School versus College chart to see why.
| High School | College |
| School begins at 8:30 and ends at 3:30 | Different start time and end time for individual classes. |
| Classes were in the same building. | Classes are in different buildings depending on the department |
| Teachers use the same classroom all day. If you need to speak with your teacher, you could find them in their classroom. | Professors arrive to the classroom right before start time and usually leave right after class is over. They will be in their office during office hours, if they have an office. Their office usually is in a different building. |
| Teachers decorate their own classroom with interesting things to see and learn about. The classroom reflects the teacher’s subject and interests. | The classroom will be used by different professors for different classes. The walls are bare. |
| All students are in class at the same time. | Students has o go to class at different times. Students might be relaxing or chilling in the hall sofas right outside your classroom. Other activities could happen on campus simultaneously with your class time. |
| If you miss class, the attendance office is notified and someone comes looking for you. | If you miss class, no one comes looking for you. |
| If you are absent for an exam, you can make it up when you return. | If you are absent for an exam you better be in the hospital. |
| Your teacher knows your name. | Your professor doesn’t know your name. |
| Your class size is 25. | Your class size could be 200. |
All this makes it very easy to skip class. But don’t do it. Don’t skip class.
Go to class and be present physically, mentally and emotionally.
How to be present physically:
- Get enough sleep at night to be alert during class
- Eat high protein breakfast.
- Stay hydrated.
- Workout regularly during the week.
- During class if you struggle to stay awake, try high protein snacks.
- Breathe deeply. Oxygen rich blood helps you wake up.
How to be present mentally:
- Turn off your cell phone.
- Don’t check your social media during class.
- Sit close to the front of the class.
- Make eye contact with the professor
- Take notes
- Preview the lecture topic before class
- Keep an open mind. Be willing to learn something new.
How to be present emotionally:
- Turn off your “I-wish-I-were-somewhere-else” button. Just stop wishing you were somewhere else. If you allow your mind to wish to be elsewhere, you will feel miserable in your present location and you will sabotage learning.
- Pretend nothing else exists in the universe but this class, this professor, this lecture at this moment.
- Turn on your intellectual curiosity. Be curious. Learn something you didn’t know before. Allow your brain to learn.
Comments
Go to Class (Week 3 of Semester 1) — No Comments