1. Challenge yourself.

If you want to know how to succeed in school, then this is an aspect that can't be ignored. Seek out courses that
stretch your limits. Understand that learning, by its very nature, is a challenging process. So embrace that challenge.

2. Follow your interests, but stay open.

Your curiosity can guide you to many of the most rewarding courses. But it can also blind you to choices that may
benefit you just as much, if not more. So take care not to rule out courses that seem beyond your interest. Many
students find their paths to success accidentally because they have to take courses they didn't initially want to take.
Stay open to the possibility of pleasant surprises by making room for a few subjects outside the pull of your
curiosity. You might just discover new strengths you never knew you had.

3. Don't wait to pursue your strongest interests.

The sooner you get started in the subjects that interest you most, the better. It gives you a chance to really determine
whether or not you feel they are something you can stick with and grow from. (Some students find out that their
interests pointed them in the wrong direction.) It's always better to change your focus of study early on instead of far
into your college experience.

4. Seek out classes that help you build marketable skills.

Knowledge and theory are important. But once you graduate, you'll need to demonstrate that you can actually do
stuff that employers will pay for. So it's a good idea to pay attention to the skills that are in high demand and mix
some of them into your education.

5. Pursue different classes in completely different subjects.

Taking widely divergent courses allows you to acquire different types of knowledge and skills that you can connect
and use together in new ways. This approach often leads to the development of innovative thinking, which is a
highly prized skill in today's economy. And many employers love to hire people who can provide extra value
outside of their main skill set.

6. Imagine your ideal outcome.

Success in college begins with a sense of what's possible. So it's much easier to accomplish your goals if you can
visualize what you want. It gives you a clear purpose. It provides a beacon of hope to help guide you during
challenging times. And the great thing is that it doesn't have to be permanent. As you change and grow, what you
imagine can change and grow with you.

7. Approach college with the right attitude.

One of the most important habits of a successful student is treating school as a gift of opportunity rather than as a
necessary evil. The students who thrive are not content with being average or just skating by. Instead, they focus on
using their time in school to maximize their individual potential as much as possible.

8. Take charge of your education.

The best results come from staying proactive. So don't wait to be told what to do. Seek out ways to go beyond the
minimum required. Stay alert to new opportunities that will help you grow in some way. Take calculated risks. Put
your future in your own hands instead of hoping that someone else will come along and lead the way for you.

9. Get the "whys" right.

If you want to become a successful student, then you have to go to school for the right reasons. That means valuing
results that have real substance instead of fleeting or elusive outcomes like fame, prestige, or recognition. Be honest
with yourself about why you want to go to school. Make sure your reasons line up with things that stick around—
such as personal development, acquiring marketable skills, improving your understanding of the world, improving
your ability to provide for your family, and so on.

10. Focus on actually learning, not just on your grades.

When you prioritize gaining deep knowledge, retaining what you learn, and mastering valuable skills, the grades
tend to take care of themselves. So don't obsess over trying to avoid bad grades. If you get them, simply learn from
them and use the experience to improve your habits. Grades are only one measurement of your progress. They never
tell the whole story. Only you know whether or not you are really learning something. Never forget that employers
expect you to back up your paper degree with actual knowledge and abilities.

11. Trust the small steps.

Success isn't some grand event that happens overnight. It's developed every day, little by little. Think of the process
of achieving your goals more as evolution than revolution. It takes time. Make sure you master all of the small stuff
so that it eventually adds up to something big.

12. Dream bigger.

Although your short-term goals should be reachable, your long-term goals should feel just out of reach. If you
always feel like you've got everything in the bag, then your big goals probably aren't ambitious enough. By
dreaming a little bigger, you stretch your potential, sustain your drive, and increase your chances of reaching your
vision of success.

13. Stay mindful of negative self-talk.

If you catch yourself saying or thinking that you're not worthy, that you're not talented enough, or that the things
before you are too hard or impossible, take a few moments to really listen. Then identify these negative words as the
lies they are. They aren't really a part of you. Are you going to give your goals up to them? Students who succeed
know how to keep them away by choosing more constructive words to tell themselves.

14. Seek to master at least one skill better than anyone else you know.

In the job market after you graduate, skills will be the main currency. So by planning from the beginning to be an
ace at things that employers value, you can give yourself a head start on your classmates in the race to stand out after
graduation.

15. Plan on amplifying your strengths.

It seems counterintuitive, but placing too much focus on strengthening your weak areas can sometimes decrease
your chances of success. Instead of spending a majority of time improving their weaknesses, many of the most
successful college students dedicate the bulk of their energy to honing and maximizing what they are best at. That
doesn't mean ignoring the other areas; it just means taking advantage of who you really are. We're each good at
different things. By building on our strengths, we can each become great in our own ways.

16. Explore your surroundings.

It may sound strange, but one of the best ways to appreciate the path you're on is to walk along a different one now
and then. Take time to discover some of the hidden gems in your area—like fringe art galleries, quirky cafés, and
less-traveled walking and hiking paths. Step beyond your usual interests and expose yourself to new kinds of art and
music. Stake out your own nook in a place you haven't explored before.
17. Do the work anyway.

Maybe you're afraid of failing. Maybe you fear criticism. Maybe the very idea of success makes you nervous
because it means that you have to grow and change to reach it. All of these fears are unnecessary—and you can
defeat them. So face your fears head on. Then chase them away by doing the stuff you're in school to do. Successful
students sometimes call it practicing stubborn persistence. It's one of the biggest secrets in any student's success.
You have to push on. You have to keep showing up. You have to do the work anyway.

18. Don't wait for permission.

One of the greatest things about college is that you get to steer your own ship. You don't need permission to pursue
the things that will make you successful. Other people might have reasons to wish you weren't in your position—
like jealousy—but you don't have to seek their approval. The momentum to succeed starts within you. And only
you.

19. Beware of self-help overload.

Good advice can be helpful. But only if you follow it by taking action. Some students binge on self-help and
personal development advice so much that they eventually burn out and lose the motivation to do anything. They
never bother applying any of it to their own lives. Instead, they use it as a way to daydream about success rather than
actually doing anything about it. So take advice in small doses, but be skeptical of it also. Not all so-called good
advice will be good for your individual situation.

20. Turn self-doubt into a positive.

Getting a bad grade isn't the end of the world. And having a few negative thoughts isn't so bad either. The truth is
that an obsession with self-esteem can work against you. It can blind you from your weaknesses and give you an
unjustified sense of your greatness. It's more helpful to embrace the fact that you are not perfect. Experiencing a
little self-doubt can help you stay focused on more of the details and avoid mistakes. Self-doubt can also motivate
you to work harder. It exists to remind you that you're learning and still have plenty of room to grow. That's a good
thing.

21. Slow down your expectations.

College isn't a sprint. It's more like a marathon. So you may have to lessen your expectation for instant gratification.
Successful students tend to understand that part of learning how to stay motivated in school is learning how to stay
patient and trusting the process. Avoid getting too far ahead of yourself so that you can enjoy the present and keep
up your momentum.

22. Focus on what you truly want.

It's easy to feel out of control, like you're doing a bunch of stuff that isn't leading anywhere. Your enthusiasm for
school might decrease. So it's essential to keep refocusing your motivation. But the key to getting motivation in the
first place is to have a clear vision of what you're trying to achieve. That's why you have to define what success
means to you. What does it look like? Every day, write down a reason that you are in school. Write down the main
things you want to get out of the experience.

23. Keep a daily progress journal.

Building self-awareness is one of the best ways to stay motivated in college. You need to be able to evaluate how
well you're doing each day. So set daily goals. Then, before going to bed each night, take a moment to write
something simple like "All Done" if you've completed all of your tasks for the day. If you didn't, then quickly jot
down why you weren't able to. This way, you build a system for being mindful of your actions and holding yourself
accountable.
24. Put away your past.

Reminding yourself of your previous achievements can certainly provide a confidence boost from time to time. But
you don't want to get stuck on them. People who become masters at what they do get there by acknowledging how
much they still don't know. They operate from a mindset of never being fully satisfied. They know there is always
more room to grow. It's what keeps them moving forward instead of just relying on past achievements and
eventually losing ground.

25. Recognize guilt for what it really is.

Feeling guilty about something can actually be a sign that, on some level, you expect to gain pleasure from it. Your
brain is telling you that it should feel good. Then it's making an irrational moral judgment about it. (We often feel
most guilty about things that are pleasurable.) But that can have a dampening effect on our willpower to tackle
things that involve hard work. So, when you feel guilty about not following through on a school-related goal, it's a
good idea to stop and recognize that this is what might be happening. Once you do, you may feel a lot more like
taking action.

26. Tackle the hard stuff.

Understand that the most difficult projects or goals can only be accomplished step by step and over time. It can be
hard to recognize any results while you're still going through the process. But, just like building muscle, conquering
your hardest challenges increases your strengths and abilities so that the challenges that follow get a little easier.
That's one of the secrets to sustaining a passion for what you do.

27. Prioritize the big stuff.

It sounds simple enough. But knowing how to become a successful student requires truly understanding this piece of
advice. Unless you have urgent tasks that absolutely must be handled right away, it's better to use your time working
on important things like writing major papers, studying, practicing the skills you want to master, or making
connections with important people.

28. Keep a routine and guard your time.

In college, time is the most precious resource. That's why successful students often make sure that nothing interrupts
their carefully planned routines. It's OK to be spontaneous once in a while, but the more consistent you are at using
certain periods of time for the same types of work, the more benefits you'll be able to get from your education.

29. Break your time outside of class into small chunks that match your body's natural rhythms.

Generally speaking, a person's energy waxes and wanes in roughly 90-minute intervals throughout the day. By
paying attention to when you feel more awake and focused, you can schedule your most challenging tasks for those
times. Then you can leave the less-challenging stuff for the dips or use the low-energy times for refreshing naps or
social and recreational breaks. This way, you can get everything in without feeling like you're missing out or
ignoring your studies.

30. Use a daily planner to list and schedule your tasks.

Many students find that using an electronic calendar along with a daily handwritten list provides the best system for
organizing their time. Space out your big tasks on the calendar and set alerts for any important deadlines. Create a
new list each day of all tasks that must get done, and make sure you have times on your calendar where you can fit
them in. Scratch off each task as you complete it. If you don't finish all of your tasks, then start a list for the next day
and transfer them over.

31. Start the important stuff right away.

Lots of students procrastinate regularly, but you probably don't want to be one of them. The more you procrastinate,
the less likely you are to succeed. At least, that's true of most people. Playing catch-up all the time is a recipe for
stress and burnout. Instead, it's smarter to start on important things like big reading assignments, research papers,
and exam prep as soon as possible. The earlier you start, the more your subconscious can filter ideas and work on
problems for you in the background. It also gives you a chance to actually enjoy the process at a more leisurely pace.
No cramming necessary.

32. Plan ahead for your hardest days.

Letting the hard days sneak up on you is never fun. Besides, there's no excuse for it. Make sure you have the
syllabus for each course you're taking, and highlight all of the most challenging components like major class
projects, midterms, and final exams. Then start setting aside time on your schedule to prepare for them well in
advance of when they happen. Make notes to limit partying and other distractions before those times. But also plan
to reward yourself with some memorable fun after getting through those days. By doing this, you might just turn
what would have been your hardest days into your easiest.

33. Avoid overcommitting.

Although it's tempting to think that saying yes to everything will make you a superstar, doing so may have the
opposite effect. That's why one of the most reliable ways to succeed in college is to trim down your activities to only
the most important ones—the ones that provide clear benefits to your personal development, education, or career
preparation. Saying no is often the best thing you can do.

34. Minimize your multitasking.

It takes time to get into the appropriate headspace to be your most effective at different types of tasks. In fact,
numerous research studies show that the more people multitask, the less effective they are at what they're trying to
accomplish. Many of the most successful people know this and manage their time accordingly. They give
themselves the space and permission to give all of their attention to just one important task at a time.

35. Show up to every class.

Being a successful student only happens by being present. Missing classes can mean missing out on important
information and good opportunities for improving your understanding of the material being taught. Your class
attendance also has a big impact on the impression you leave on your instructors. Even in large classes, they notice.
They will be much more willing to give you support when you need it if you demonstrate your commitment by
showing up consistently.

36. Get there early.

Feeling rushed isn't a good mindset to begin a class with. By arriving to class five to 10 minutes early, you give
yourself the chance to slip into the right headspace, feel relaxed, and go over your notes and any reading material
again that might be discussed in the upcoming session.

37. Stay attentive.

It isn't enough to just show up to class. You also need to stay awake and interested. Texting and other distractions
make you lose focus. They make it hard for your brain to absorb the information it needs for making sense of the
subject matter you're trying to learn. This is true even when you feel like you're multitasking well. If you wouldn't
nod off or text your friends during an important meeting with your boss, then you shouldn't do it in class either.
You'll have more success by treating your classes like your job.

38. Take smart notes.

Don't try to capture everything being said by an instructor word-for-word. Instead, listen for the big ideas and
capture them in your own words. Taking notes this way allows you to concentrate fully on understanding the
material being presented rather than frantically transcribing stuff that makes no sense as you're writing it down or
typing it in. Many students find that they learn the material better if they handwrite their notes on paper. Of course,
typing works better for others. So experiment and see which way is best for you.

39. Stay organized.

Keep separate folders and notebooks for each different class so that you can easily find what you need, when you
need it. Obviously, this is easier if you use a laptop and have minimal paper items to worry about. If you do go with
paper, use loose-leaf paper inside folders instead of spiral notebooks. This will make it easier for you to organize
and rearrange your notes and any class materials in smart ways that help you study.

40. Ask questions.

Don't worry if they seem annoying. Students who thrive know that asking timely questions is a key driver of
success. The longer you go without understanding something, the harder it becomes to continue without feeling lost
or discouraged. By asking questions in class, you might also be helping other students who wanted to ask the same
things but were too shy. It also helps to keep a running list of questions during class or as you study. Even if you
don't get the chance to ask them in class, you can often follow up on them over email or during your instructor's
office hours.

41. Find someone to partner with in each class.

You're only human. So you might have occasions when you just can't make it to class. This is when you need a
friend who will be there. He or she can share notes with you and fill you in on what you missed. Having a friend in
each class also makes things much less awkward during those times when you have to choose somebody to partner
with on a project.

42. Do the work.

In certain situations, such as group assignments, you might have the chance to indulge a lazy streak and hide behind
the work of other students. It's best to resist that temptation. We all learn better by doing things ourselves. By not
taking advantage of every opportunity to learn or practice something new, you only cheat yourself.

43. Minimize useless distractions.

Knowing how to be a successful student means knowing how to put aside things that decrease your ability to
concentrate. Studying effectively requires being able to focus only on what's in front of you. So make sure you don't
clutter it all up.

44. Find a few different quiet locations.

Changing study locations throughout the day can help you avoid burnout and keep your mind sharp. Choose
locations that are isolated enough that you can be alone and free of interruptions. A mixture of indoor and outdoor
spots can also help to break up any feelings of boredom.

45. Study no more than about 90 minutes at a time.

After a certain point of continuous study, the human brain becomes less effective at retaining information. You get
diminishing returns. So, instead of trying to do a bunch of cramming in one session, it's better to space out your
studying over several days into shorter concentrated bursts followed by breaks or changes in activity. By working
this way, you allow your subconscious the time it needs to sort through the information and make the connections
that lead to deep understanding.
46. Keep your body moving.

Movement can help your brain process ideas better, which is essential for finding solutions to the complex problems
that are sometimes part of class assignments. Exercise is especially good for keeping your mind sharp. So rather
than sitting around while you study, you might find it beneficial once in a while to get up and go for a walk, jog, or
bike ride while listening to a recorded lecture or a voice recording of your own notes.

47. Be selective.

You don't always have to read every last word of assigned material. For example, some professors assign optional
reading material that can enhance your understanding of the subject matter but which doesn't introduce any new
concepts. In such cases, it might make sense to place your focus on the main reading materials and skim the rest just
before your next class. Use good judgment based on your overall course load and available time.

48. Stand up and explain it out loud.

When trying to learn difficult concepts, it sometimes helps to practice explaining them in your own words. For many
students, this process works especially well if they walk around a little while doing it or have someone else present
just to listen.

49. Organize your notes.

This is best done during times when you're not studying. Date all of your notes and make sure they are grouped in a
logical way within the appropriate class folders. Make sure to include all of the questions you gather while reading,
studying, or attending class so that you can easily follow up on them.

50. Seek help right away.

The longer you wait to ask questions or get help when you need it, the harder it becomes to keep up in your classes.
So don't shy away from looking for good mentors or study partners. And when you're really feeling stuck, make use
of any extra access you have to your instructors. That's what they are there for.

51. Take advantage of your school's resources.

Beyond the library, your school may give you access to labs, studios, and special equipment during non-class hours.
So use them to practice your skills. Successful students don't let such opportunities go to waste. They take full
advantage of anything their schools offer that can help them improve.

52. Keep the right tools on hand.

Obvious items like a dictionary and highlighters are important. A laptop or other computing device with access to
the Internet is also essential for many college programs. Free online resources like video tutorials, seminars, and
classes from other institutions can be invaluable in helping you fill in the gaps of your education or just helping you
understand things better. Many successful students also like using digital voice recorders (or recording apps on their
phones) to capture class lectures and ideas for different class projects.

53. Create flashcards.

When you need to memorize information, flashcards can work exceptionally well. The key to making them effective
is using them throughout your courses. You won't benefit from them as much if you only use them during last-
minute cramming sessions. Spend a little time each day going through the ones you have and creating any new ones
as necessary. This process will help you remember the information long after you take your exams and finish your
classes.

54. Don't overdo it.

If studying always feels hard to you, then you probably need to change your approach. Many students study too
much. It's better to stop as soon as you feel like you have a reasonable handle on the material. If you feel like you're
putting in a lot of time and not getting anywhere, it's a sign you need help. The more you try to push on by yourself,
the less chance you'll have of grasping what you're trying to learn.

55. Learn how financial aid works.

Many students have little or no understanding of this subject. But it can truly pay to take the time to learn about all
forms of financial aid. The knowledge you gain could help you save thousands of dollars.