By Nick Conway, Dymir Montague, and David Teufel
It’s always good to hear about the experiences of those that came before you. Three freshmen students wanted to share their early experiences of Holy Family University in this first-person trio column.
“My personal experience at Holy Family with time management started by making schedule with chores that I can hold myself accountable to maintain. I had to get rid of the distractions that would interfere with my schedule. I would turn off my phone because that would lead me into procrastinating on doing the chores I have set for myself. An article written by Purdue University Global states, ‘Start with shorter, simpler to-do items and then move on to larger projects or assignments.’
I listed the importance of my schedule by which would come first. Although during my experience I was overwhelmed with sports practices and school work, I set a certain time that I would get school work done and still be able to be a part of campus activities. I strongly suggest staying away from things like the sofa, bed, video games, and social media in order to maintain the chores that are set.
An article written by Becton Loveless states, ‘Successful students typically space their work out over shorter periods of time and rarely try to cram all of their studying into just one or two sessions.’
As a student myself I followed every step of the ’10 Habits of Highly Effective Students’ because the article teaches me how to study properly. When studying, I do not try to fit everything in one study session. I set a goal to reach by the time I am done studying and when I reach the goal, I take a small break in between to refresh my brain. When studying, I do not worry about time on the clock. I usually set a timer of 45 minutes so I know when to stop and how to pace myself. I focus on studying carefully, because when I do, my grades result in being higher and my work is more professional.”
— Dymir Montague
“Class focus in college is a very big deal. I think the best thing to do is to get a routine down and have the same routine for the rest of the semester. The top three things are to eat, drink, and sleep. You should get six to eight hours of sleep a night and make sure when you wake up to get breakfast, which is the key to get you moving every morning. Another thing is to limit yourself on your phone and concentrate on your work. Make sure you’re paying attention in class and getting all your work in on time. Lastly, set goals for yourself. Make yourself be the best student you can be and excel at every level in that subject. After you do that, reward yourself for all the things you accomplished in the semester.
Being a responsible person means being dependable and being committed to what you do. To be a responsible person in college is to manage your time wisely, such as becoming a productive student, study for tests ahead of time, getting help if you’re falling behind, taking responsibility of your words and actions, and maybe getting a part-time job if you’re flexible with your schedule. Be a productive student by answering questions and participating in class. Get yourself a tutor if you need extra help with studying for a test or exam. When you say something, make sure you do what you have said. A part-time job could really help yourself out. Responsibility is a key thing that will lead to a successful life.”
— Nick Conway
“As my first semester ended and I headed into Christmas break, I realized that college is nothing to joke around with. With everything on the line, college is something I have to respect and have to put all my effort into. Without it, my future can easily disappear and no TV show or video game is more important than education.
I learned to put down the controller and shut off the TV and instead open my book and study for my exams. At one point, I wanted to drop out because of how hard it was. I put together these steps, and because of it, I am now fully capable of getting good grades and passing my courses. I always keep in the back of my mind that college is the route to my career and all of the dumb little things I like to do can’t get in the way. Looking at college as an early adulthood experience really helped me break the old high school habits and create new ones that will benefit me in the long run.”
— David Teufel
Tri-Lite 