Become familiar with the helpful services and groups that your college offers students. For quick reference, write down the location, hours of operation and contact information for those of interest. Listings may include labs, computer room facilities, student counseling, the library, campus security, health center, and more.
Record on a calendar next to your bed or on your work desk exams, parties, due dates for special projects, papers or homework assignments, days off from school, campus events you want to attend and anything requiring your attention and time. Familiarize yourself with your schedule to avoid an overload of activities with little study time.
Take detailed notes during classes and store them in a particular place. Set aside a block of time to study shortly after class to reorganize and review your notes. College learning resource nLight says students who study an hour shortly following class learn more effectively than those who study days later for several hours.
Study often, but take breaks for rest, nutrition and some fun --- whether it's going out with friends, joining a club, attending football games or other activities. Each evening, write a list of the errands, classes, social activities or other tasks to be completed the next day, and prioritize them by importance. Review for a healthy balance of school-related and social activities.
Organize your work space to provide a more conducive environment for studying. A messy desk stirs up confusion and leads to misplacement and neglect. Throw away anything not needed. Set up baskets, shelves and other office supply materials, so everything has its place. Decorate with pictures, trinkets and other items that bring happiness. Treat your computer's desktop in the same clean and orderly manner.
Design a comfortable space for sleeping, studying and hanging out in your home away from home. Discuss the layout of furniture, TV and other appliances with your roommate. Use plenty of space organizers --- such as shoe racks, bins, crates, door racks, desk organizers, and more --- in your closet, under your bed and at your desk for ample storage. Bring in other furniture to add character.
Do not charge more than you can afford to pay off each month. Set a monthly limit. Store receipts together for anything paid by credit card. Clear them out at the end of each billing cycle. During the month, add up the receipts and make sure you are on budget. High-interest rates make credit cards difficult to manage. If making only minimum payments, a college student with a $1,000 balance and 18 percent interest rate won't pay the debt off for about 12 years, says Consolidated Credit Counseling Services. Unfortunately by that time, the balance has probably increased from additional purchases.