When I first came to college I was clueless and had no idea what was going on. Some of the tips I give you others might argue that you do not need to follow these. Sure, you can get away without following these tips. However, if you do not follow these tips you will most likely not have the best grades and you will not be prepared for the real world. I mean that is the point of college is to prepare ourselves for the real world.

Go to Class

I honestly cannot stress the importance of this first rule enough. The professor might not take attendance or you might know everything about the class already. However, that is not important I hate to break it to you but in the real world, you have responsibilities. I do not know of any employers who want to hire someone who cannot show up to work every day. So, get used to going to class every day because in the real world it is not an option to just skip when you feel like it.

Pay Attention

Do not just show up to class but actually listen and pay attention to what the teacher is saying. There is a good chance that you will need to know this information for test and assignments. In the real world you have to pay attention in order to be a good employee, so start learning how to pay attention now.

Always Read the Syllabus

This is college and I hate to break it to you but you are no longer in high school. If you want to know when your assignments are due and when you have test you best believe you better read that syllabus. In the real world, people are not always just going to tell you things sometimes you actually have to do that for yourself.

Get Involved

College is not just about making the good grade but it is all about finding yourself. When you get involved in things clubs or extracurricular activities it helps you get to know yourself better. Also, when you go into the real world and start applying for jobs you need something that is going to set yourself apart. I hate to break it to you but just having a degree and good grades is not good enough.

Decide on a Degree

Find what you are truly passionate about if you are just doing it because it makes good money then that is not the degree for you. I know that money is important but so is happiness, so there is no point in wasting your life doing something you do not even like. It is ok if you do not find your passion right away and you can always change your major.

Get Plenty of Sleep

I know that college is fun and you want to go out and party and that is ok. However, you need sleep without sleep you cannot function. Also, it is not ok to pull all-nighters because cramming for a test is never good and you have to have sleep. For whatever reason it may be that you stayed up all night most likely you will either not make it to class or if you do you will be unable to pay attention. So, just get plenty of rest you can thank me later for this one.

Build New Relationships

College is all about making new relationships. It is important that you build relationships with not only your classmates but also your professors. In the real world, it is important to have good communication skills, so when you apply for jobs you can be personable. Also, college is hard and you are going to want people there to help support you and be a positive influence.

Try New Things

College is all about trying out new things which can sound a bit scary, but if you do not try new things you will not ever truly accomplish anything. Just be open to new ideas college is a diverse place, and so is the real world so start to learn and accept people for who they are. I am not saying you always have to agree with everyone but just be open to new ideas and always be respectful of others.

Time Management

In college, there is a lot of free time and you better use it wisely. Always take advantage of your free time and learn how to adapt and what works best for you. In the real world, this is important because the real world does not run on your time, so you better learn to manage your time wisely.

10. Fail

It is ok to fail that test that you studied so hard for. I know that it can be discouraging to fail something, but if you never fail you never learn. In the real world you are going to fail more than just test, so start learning how to handle failure because you are going to experience a lot of it. Take failure as a lesson learned and always get back up and keep pushing.

Just remember to always enjoy this chapter of life, but this is not the end it is only the beginning.