book1 unit4 after-class reading 1 : Becoming a Successful Student

So you've finally made it to college. You've been accepted, and you've been living on campus for some time. Now you begin to ask yourself "How does one become a successful student?" "What are the characteristics of successful students?" To answer these questions, you'd better first bear in mind the following tips:


Be self-disciplined. You should not leave the weekly reading until the night before it is required. You must discipline yourself ( no one will scold you if you don't ) and set up a regular schedule in order to succeed.


Think positively. You need to have a good self-image so you can turn what seems like defeat into a positive learning situation. If you expect that you can do better, and you try to do better, then overall you will do better.


Be interested in your courses. Even if you think a course is the most boring one in the world, force yourself to be interested. Take a minor point and read as much as possible about it in order to become an expert in just that little bit of information. That kind of interest can cause interest in the entire course.


Take good notes and study them regularly. Because there are so few tests ( usually no more than two or three plus the final exam ) , they will cover work done over a long period of time. Only by taking and then keeping up with your notes can you study effectively for these tests.


Seek help when you need it, before it's too late. If you have special problem, don't be afraid to seek help. See your teacher, your advisor, anyone that you think may be able to help you. It is important that you be aware of where you can go for help. And most campuses can help you with money ---- student loans, scholarships, special student aid funds, or work-study programs. Find out what is available at your school, and be prepared to use it when you need it.


Attend classes and be active in class. Attending class and arriving on time are important points to show that you are serious about your learning. You should take part in classroom discussions and hand in assignments on time. Speaking up in class forces you to think about what is being discussed and keeps you interested in it.


Have a good attitude about college life. Know your strong points and your weaknesses, understand what a college can and cannot do for you. Take responsibility for your own education. You should realize that attending college offers you the raw material for success and education ---- libraries, teachers, textbooks. However, only you can educate yourself. Take advantage of what is around you and use it to your best advantage according to your own needs.


Have the "know-how" to be successful. Make sure that you know how to study, take notes, take tests, and use time wisely. Be sure you can use reference sources such as the library. Develop memory skills. Try to get along with your teachers and your fellow students. You should be at ease in expressing yourself and in understanding words. Learn from experience. Always look for ways to do things better.


Following all this advice, you may not automatically become a successful student, but you will surely be on the right road to success.


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advantage
advisor
aid
assignment
automatically
available
boring
characteristic
discipline
ease
educate
effectively
finally
fund
loan
minor
overall
raw
reference
regularly
responsibility
scholarship
self-disciplined
self-image
source
surely
textbook
weakness
weekly
wisely


at ease
bear / keep in mind
find out
make sure
make it (to)
set up
speak up
take advantage of
take responsibility for