At Uplift Education, the largest charter school network in North Texas, we support our scholars after they graduate whether they choose to go to college, the military or straight to the workforce. During the pandemic, our scholars who chose to attend college faced the challenges of navigating unfamiliar territory and having to virtually attend their college classes and having their college experience digitized.
Fortunately, the world is steering towards a new normal to mirror pre-pandemic times and colleges are geared up to operate their campuses at 100% for all in-person attendees. Whether you’re a scholar who’s returning to campus or about to embark on that journey, here are a few tips to make sure that you have a successful In Person college experience.
Be proactive and show up.
Be an active participant in your own learning. Even though it may be tempting to skip a class that doesn’t take attendance, make sure to go every day. Do the assigned reading before class and contribute to the class by asking questions or providing your takeaways from the material presented. Be involved on campus.
Campuses often have hundreds of student organizations to choose from. They are a great way to meet people and develop skills to later put on your professional resume. We recommended joining about three organizations throughout your time in college: one related to your major, one related to your current interests, and one to push you out of your comfort zone.
Familiarize yourself with all the resources on campus.
Colleges provide a wide variety of resources, from mental health counseling to tutoring services. Make sure to learn about the different resources that are offered on your campus. If you ever have a question or run into a challenge while you’re in school, they likely have staff members who are happy to help you.
Stay organized.
You should receive a syllabus for each of your classes. This outlines your assignments and exam schedule for the semester. Find a time management tool that works best for you, whether it’s an app on your phone, a physical planner, a wall calendar, etc. Plug in all your dates for the semester, so you can see how to build out your study schedule and figure out how to prioritize your time.
Allow yourself time to reflect each week.
College is stressful! Build in time each week to do some sort of self-care. Make sure to write down your priorities for the following week, so you can stay on track.
The last tip we have may be one of the most important. At Uplift Education, we are proud to have a robust Alumni Success department with Alumni Success Counselors who can’t wait to see you succeed. So our last tip is to Stay in contact with your Alumni Success Counselor, as the Uplift Alumni Success Team provides FREE college support to all Uplift alumni. If you ever have a question about financial aid, academics, life on campus, or career, your Alumni Success Counselor can help you find the answer. To learn more about our Alumni Success team please follow them on Instagram at @upliftalumni.
