Good Student, but need to improve work ethic

Colleges & Universities University of California - Berkeley
1

Hello CC!
I was just accepted to UCB from the waitlist. I am very excited to attend UCB, but with that excitement comes some nervous apprehension about my ability to do well in such a competitive environment. I would say I am an average student, not the top student in my senior class but also not too far from it (why I was on the waitlist). My issue is that I feel like my work ethic is lacking at the moment. I was wondering if any of you had tips for improving one’s ability to study at a place like Cal and acclimate to the kind of course load that I will be experiencing there. What are some things that some of you learned as freshmen that you wish you had known (study wise) going in?

PS. This isn’t a post saying i’m not willing to work my butt off. I’m looking for some genuine tips to being a more effective studier. Thank you!

2
  • Go to office hours, take advantage of any department tutoring, join study groups.
  • Go to the writing center or equivalent.
  • Don't sign up for super hard classes first semester, or too many credits.
  • Make a schedule for your week, and block off time to study when you don't have classes. Then do it.
  • Take your study stuff to dinner & go right on to the library so you don't get sucked into wasting time in the dorm.
  • Really pay attention to the syllabus, and plan out/stay in top of your work.
3

Group studying - some classes will be difficult to self-motivate and partnering up with someone is a great way to keep each other in check and be mutually beneficial. I actually regret going to too many office hours when it was better off to sit down and think rather than asking everything. I think the minimum is not fall grossly behind for any classes.