The transition from high school to college can be one of the most trying periods in a student’s life. Having recently experienced this shift in lifestyle, I can personally attest to the fact that major adjustments both academically and socially need to be made during such a time. Andrew Roberts, assistant professor of political science at Northwestern University, is author of the widely known book “The Thinking Student’s Guide to College: 75 Tips for Getting a Better Education.” Throughout this book, Roberts divides his advice for college students into seven categories: choosing a college, choosing classes, choosing a major, being successful, interacting with professors, learning outside the classroom, and going to graduate school. However, in my opinion the category most relevant to incoming freshmen at any college is “Being Successful.” Reflecting back on my first semester at Trinity College, the most useful tip in Roberts’ book has been “Tip 45: Manage Your Time.”
Throughout high school I had my routine firmly established. I went to school, participated in my after school activities such as sports practices, then I came home, ate dinner, and dedicated the two hour block from 8pm to 10pm specifically to my studies. However, upon arrival at college, I realized that I needed to establish a new routine. Instead of being in school seven hours a day with each hour of my time clearly structured until it was time to go to sleep, I found myself spending three to four hours a day in the classroom with free, unstructured time in between. In the beginning I did not know what to do with myself during those idle hours in the middle of the day because they were a foreign concept to me. I found myself using that time for socialization more frequently than schoolwork because I was not accustomed to studying in the middle of the day. However, the issue with not utilizing those hours productively in terms of homework is that directly after dinner most of your friends will be around, thus opening up many more opportunities for socialization than earlier on in the afternoon. As a consequence, I frequently found myself wondering where the day went. In reference to this issue, Roberts writes “The key to success is to set aside several hours each day that you devote fully to your classes.” [1. Andrew Roberts, The thinking student’s guide to college 75 tips for getting a better education (Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2010) page 96.] In order to take advantage of your education, it is imperative that you possess self-discipline and force yourself to delve into your studies for the appropriate amount of time each day based on your personal workload. It is true that it is hard to factor enough study, sleep, and social time into your day in college, but if you establish a routine for yourself that you follow religiously, balancing these three aspects of daily activity will become much more tolerable.
After reading through Roberts’ 75 tips and experiencing my first semester of college, I believe a critical piece of advice is missing from his book. Based on my experience, I would add “Tip 76: Be Open to Constructive Criticism on Essay Drafts.” One of the advantages unique to Trinity College, an intimately sized private liberal arts college in Hartford, Connecticut, is the First Year Seminar program. In our writing intensive seminar, “Color and Money,” we wrote multiple papers and had our essay drafts reviewed by our peers both within our class, and in another seminar we partnered with throughout the term. In high school I never took peer reviews as seriously as I could have. However, I realized that college is a prime opportunity to improve your writing skills. First year programs such as this require you to have your work read over by other students. Nevertheless, even if it is not required, I highly recommend you find someone to constructively criticize your writing in order to improve its impact on the intended audience. Taking full advantage of your liberal arts education means opening your mind to new ideas, and demonstrating the willingness to admit that there is always room for improvement.
The most critical part of a paper is frequently the thesis statement. The thesis statement usually sets the tone for the rest of the paper while serving as a means of judgment for the effectiveness of the supporting details. Therefore, having a well-developed, clear and concise thesis is essential to every valuable essay. Before my paper on perceptions of race and social class on Trinity’s campus was edited by a peer within my seminar, my thesis statement was as follows:
Our study of Trinity sophomores’ perceptions of race and social class on campus revealed not only that most students categorize themselves as middle class, but also that when asked to describe their racial backgrounds, white and non-white students respond in very distinctive ways between the two groups.
Clearly, this thesis is lacking in clarity and effectiveness. Undeniably there is plenty of room for improvement. However, after the essay was edited and I took my classmate’s advice into careful consideration, I was able to improve and therefore further develop my thesis into:
Our study of Trinity sophomores’ perceptions of race and social class on campus revealed not only that most students categorize themselves as middle class, but also that when asked to describe their racial backgrounds, non-white students generally provided more elaborative information than whites.
The revised thesis provides the reader with much more clarity and precision, thus setting a more persuasive and informative tone for the rest of the paper.
After a full semester at Trinity College, I feel like an improved student. With Roberts’ advice on time management and my own tip regarding openness to constructive criticism on essay drafts, I am confident that a student at any university can find academic success. College is a time for exploration and development, so it is crucial to take full advantage of the multitude of opportunities you will be offered to improve your writing. No matter what field you choose to dedicate your professional life to, the ability to be a concise, effectively persuasive writer is a highly regarded skill.