How To College

“The classroom remains the most radical space of possibility in the academy.” – bell hooks

Written by Celia E. Swanson

Autumn isn’t far away, and many students are already back in school – just the time for some sage advice from a professional educator on how to get the most out of that first year in college. There won’t be a quiz at the end of this article, but take notes all the same…

Talk To Your Professors

No, really. Stay after class, walk with them back to their office (bonus points if you help them by erasing the board or carrying books), go to their office hours, chat with them in the hallways. Having a positive relationship with your instructors will help you enormously. You can visit them when you have a question about class, get help on a paper, or just talk with them. Loan them a good book. Ask about their lives and careers. Find out what got them interested in their subject matter. 

Recognizing that your professors are real human beings with real lives — and making a human-to-human connection — means that you’ll act appropriately around them. They’ll know you and perhaps feel kindly toward you when they’re grading your work.

Bottom line:  You’ll be more invested in the class because you know something about the person leading the class.

Vive La Différence!

Recognize that the values and culture of your professors might be different than your own. Most people teaching at the University level have been working for years in their discipline and are deeply passionate about it. Even those “cold” seeming instructors have some burning fire of fascination in their topic…otherwise they wouldn’t be teaching. When you’ve missed class, if you ask, “Did I miss anything important?” (a reasonable question from your point of view) it could sound like “I don’t consider what you do in the classroom as important” and may come across as dismissive of their treasured subject matter. Similarly, asking “Will this be on the test?” signals to the professor that you only care about passing – which may be true, but it’s not a good attitude. Your professor can view it that you’re not interested in the subject of the class. You may not intend it to be insulting, but it can come across that way. 

Also, that “boring” class you are in is only boring because you and your fellow students aren’t fueling the fire of the person teaching it. How you respond to your professors, including your body language, sends them subliminal messages. If your message is “I’m bored,” then they’ll be boring. If your message is “I can’t wait to hear the next thing that comes out of your mouths,” then they’ll become exciting! 

This is partly about how you change the way you receive their output, but it also means that the energy you project has a massive effect on your instructors’ behavior and energy levels. Treat them like they are brilliant and fascinating, and they may rise to the occasion.

Put That Hoop Down

Avoid “hoop jumping” in your classes. Hoop jumping is an attitude many students have, especially in required classes (aka “Gen Eds”) for a Liberal Arts degree. They reluctantly take required classes and care about passing, not about learning. Your professors believe that learning for the sake of learning is the purpose of what they’re doing. They don’t necessarily think it matters if their subject matter will lead you to a job or not – they think what they are offering you is important beyond its immediate marketability. 

They don’t think it’s a “waste of time” to take classes you’ll “never use” in your major or career. First off, how do you know that? You might be surprised how useful that Literature course might be in your future. If you approach learning as a way of stretching your brain, then that math class you dread can be a challenge that expands your abilities and teaches you a new way of looking at the world.

Offered Help? Take it!

Most colleges and universities these days are filled with Student Services (counselors, advisors, veteran’s services, writing centers, math centers, tutoring, health and wellness centers, etc.). Your tuition and fees pay for these services, so use them. 

You don’t have to go it alone. Asking for help is not a mark against you. The college or university knows that it’s a complex and confusing experience, and there are so many people just waiting and wanting to help you.

Need Help? It’s There

If you had an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or accommodations in public school, don’t jettison the help and try to go it alone. 

If you’ve had issues with mental health in the past, recognize that college may trigger your anxiety, depression, AD/HD, or other issues. Have your support team lined up, your medications within reach, and all your coping strategies ready to kick in when needed. 

Be proactive in caring for your physical and mental health. While late nights, drinking alcohol, cannabis use, casual hook-ups, and junk food snarfing are all part of the myth of “the college experience,” be aware of how these behaviors can affect your mental health. So, use them sparingly and with caution. It’s fine to party a bit, but remember your purpose for being in college isn’t to be impaired…it’s to improve your life.  

Have A Purpose

Don’t go to college because “Mom said.” Go because you want to learn. 

Don’t go to college because you want a specific job. Go because you want to explore all the possibilities, and perhaps you’ll discover something you’ve never even thought of as the perfect direction to take. 

Don’t go because all your friends are doing it. Go because you want your world to be larger than the one you currently live in. And because you want to meet new people, have new experiences, and become a new person. 

Don’t go thinking you already know everything important to know. Go because you recognize that the more you know, the more you will discover that you don’t know…and that excites you!  

And Remember…

The first year of college is challenging, exhausting, often frustrating, sometimes unsettling, and frequently confusing. You can run away from these feelings, or you can recognize that this swirl of emotions signals that you’re stepping into uncharted territory. You’re pushing your own envelope, you’re growing, changing, learning, and creating the person you want to be. 

Try to see these feelings as a good sign that you’re moving beyond what’s comfortable. It’s time to celebrate this grand adventure that you’re on. Enjoy it! With a little bit of care and attention you can make your first year in college a year you’ll remember with pleasure for the rest of your life.

Celia E. Swanson has taught at colleges in Minnesota for over 25 years.