There is a quote by Woody Allen that says, “80% of life is just showing up.” When it comes to college, this is a very applicable theory. If you show up for every class, take notes, ask questions, participate and stay awake you will make your life a lot easier and give yourself a much greater chance for success. In the vast majority of your classes, just doing this will get you an A or B.
It may seem easier to just skip class and get the notes from a friend or do the crossword puzzle during class and figure out the material before the next exam. The truth is that this isn’t the easy way to do things. It’s actually the hard way because you are going to have to figure everything out on your own at the last minute before the exam. If you understand material in class and are completely focused, it will save you a ton of study time later on in the semester.
Participation will go a far way in determining your success. Even if there isn’t an official participation grade in your class, professors will always show favoritism at the end of the semester for those who are active participants in class. Imagine how frustrated and disrespected professors feel when a student isn’t paying attention to them – do you think they are going to do any favors for those students at the end of the semester? You are already there in class, so why not raise your hand a few times and offer an opinion? Just wait for the questions that you can easily answer and fire away!
The Bottom Line: Show up, take notes, ask questions, participate and stay awake. It’s that simple. This will make your life much easier and allow you to spend more time with your friends and involved in activities.