Welcome to part 5 of the how-to become a financial stud series: Get the most out of college.
Instead of complaining about college life or being negative, today I wanted to look at how you can simply become a financial stud by getting the most out of your college experience. I wish I could claim that this part is solely based on experience. Unfortunately, it isn’t. I don’t feel that I’ve gotten as much out of college as I could have. Some parts will be based on what I did. Other parts will be simply items that I wish I did. Let’s look at how you can get the most out of your college experience:
Join relevant groups.
This will definitely seem lame at first. Once you try it out you’ll be shocked by how many like-minded people that you’ll meet. This is extremely important for those that think that nobody shares the same interests as them. That isn’t true. If you look around campus and check out the many groups available, you’ll be shocked to find out how many like-minded people have been hovering around you at college this whole time. You never know who you’ll meet next and how you can mutually help each other in the future.
Abuse professor office hours.
Almost nobody ever takes advantage of the professor hours that are setup. I never did until recently. Going to visit a professor for help can do wonders for your academic career. Why? Because nobody ever goes. Unless you’re getting a 100% in a course, odds are that you need some form of assistance. You could pop in for a quick minute to ask a brief question or you could stop by just to say hello. In an era where professors rarely know the names of any of the students, it can be very beneficial to YOU to have a professor know you on a first name basis. Building a rapport with your professors can also do wonders for you when it comes to receiving the benefit of doubt while having a paper marked.
Apply for free money.
There’s so much free money available out there. I stress this all of the time here. Apply for all scholarships, bursaries, grants, and health benefit opt-outs (if applicable) possible. What’s the worst that can happen?
Always ask for help.
I never used to asked for help. Maybe because I was ashamed that I didn’t understand something or maybe because I was worried about what others would say. Either way, it’s stupid to not ask for help. It really is. Always ask for help. Ask others in your class. Stay after class to ask the professor. Attend free sessions. Pay for tutoring if your budget permits it. Do whatever you need to so that you grades can be where they need to be.
Go to parties/events.
Get out of your room and live it up a bit. This is where people really open up. The keen student in Chemistry class won’t be so “serious” after a few beers at the kegger. I recommend that everyone gets out whenever they can. You don’t have to get drunk or spend lots of money. You can just make an appearance. As long as you get out there and meet people from school.
How-to Become a Financial Stud Series:
Part 1: Get your financial stuff together.
Part 2: Take care of your academics.
Part 3: Don’t let social media screw you financially.
Part 4: Everything you need to know about how to build amazing credit.
(photo credit: Antoine Hubert)
Except before an exam, then professors offices are packed. Be the person who comes in with the homework mostly done but a few questions on it, or questions on more difficult material or a real world application that has sparked your interest.
DO NOT be the obnoxious person who comes by constantly outside of office hours with just “one quick question.” The professor thinks that person is a selfish jerk (and everybody else teases her about the student having a crush on her, which annoys the professor EVEN MORE). But definitely come during office hours. If you can’t make office hours because of a class conflict, you can let your professor know.