Wendy’s biggest tip for college success: Do not wait until the last minute to start an assignment or ask for help (it can be help from your instructor, classmates, tutoring).

Additional tips from Wendy: 

1. Find classmates who want to succeed in the class as well, so you can create a study group and help each other when needed. When you help others you are learning too, you are practicing the material. 

2. If you speak another language other than English, look for information about the topic you are having trouble with in that language. You might find helpful information that you did not see before.

3. Look for workshops related to the topic you are having trouble with.

4. Go to office hours as much as you can if you have questions.

5. Find a place where you can concentrate better.

6. Take a break when needed when working on an assignment or studying for a test. Sometimes we are saturated with information and we make easy mistakes. Just take a break, clear your mind, look for something that makes you happy and then go back to what you were doing.

7. Attend to test reviews even if you think you know all the material. 

What keeps Wendy motivated as a student: Thinking about my family and how much I want to help them economically is what kept me motivated as a student.

Marlene’s biggest tip for college success:  Make notes on the margins of course readings, summarizing and asking questions (you don’t have to answer them right away - check back later to see if you have the answer then). This can help you look at the readings with a new perspective.

What keeps Marlene motivated as a student: By remembering my long-term goals post-graduation. The feedback I receive in my own writing or about research projects is not always positive; in fact, sometimes the feedback is very critical and discourages me. However, I try to practice what Carol Dweck calls a growth mindset by viewing such critical feedback as useful for my own professional development.

Laura’s biggest tip for college success: Do not be afraid to ask the course instructor questions. Take advantage of the instructor's office hours. An instructor only knows how hard you are trying if you ask questions. Listen to the hints an instructor gives about what will be seen on the test. Find a study group in addition to tutoring. Bring your study group to meet at the tutoring center so there is someone else to ask the question to.

What keeps Laura motivated as a student: Staying motivated while taking the general classes at the beginning of my college journey was hard because I wondered - Why this material again? Where will I use it when I am done? When will my math classes ever end? Asking others to form a study group that I checked in with helped remind me to keep going because I knew I was not alone. I now use a calendar tool (ie. Google Calendar and Gmail) to keep me on track and able to plan relaxation time. I share my goals with supportive people in my life so I can get feedback when I'm feeling down. I ask for help when I feel overwhelmed. I try to keep short journal notes so I can see patterns, how far I have come, and what else I might want to explore.

Michael’s biggest tip for college success: I have found the Pomodoro [link to video] timer to be the biggest trick for staying motivated and productive.

What keeps Michael motivated as a student: Climate change is the biggest issue we face moving forward. I stay motivated because we need far more scientifically literate members of society as well as people working towards solutions.

Lisa’s biggest tip for college success: I've gained the most out of my studies by using retrieval methods, and applying the awareness of metacognition to step away from details to understand the larger picture.

What keeps Lisa motivated as a student: I enjoy staying current with news and research in the fields of health and indigenous healing practices.

Liz’s biggest Tip & Trick for college success: Writing down all the assignments that I need to get done for the week in my planner and scheduling a specific time for an assignment each day. I like to make sure I dedicate my time to an assignment as if I was attending class or work. This helps me see my studying habits and assignments as times when I'm unavailable to other events or distractions rather than becoming overwhelmed with assignments to do all at the same time.

What keeps Liz motivated as a student: 

I stay motivated as a student by consistently engaging with what I learn in class outside of the classroom too. For example, if an inspiring person that pertains to the course was mentioned during class, I'll do my own independent research on that person/topic or follow them on social media platforms to stay updated with how they contribute to the community, etc. This helps me appreciate the content I'm learning from my classes more!

Avijit’s biggest Tip & Trick for college success: Sometimes, just attending class and doing homework might not be enough to understand everything and succeed. Try to stay involved in your learning; talk to your teachers, join organizations/clubs, look at online resources or get help from others and look for things you're passionate/interested in. It'll take more time, but I think you'll be more satisfied by the end of it.

What keeps Avijit motivated as a student: My biggest source of motivation are my friends/friend group. Talking and working together with friends (and people in general) who also want to succeed gives me a big boost to my motivation. Reflecting on my future self and what I am passionate about also helps.

Jay’s biggest Tip & Trick for college success: The number one thing you can do to improve your success in college and life is to be able to ask for help. You do not need to learn and master anything the very first time you see it and when you come across something that is a challenge, asking for help will knock the barriers down.

What keeps Jay motivated as a student: Practicing a routine, no matter how small, is a good way to stay motivated in terms of school work. I set one hour aside for myself to check emails, check announcements, due dates, and all the little details to make sure I do not miss anything or get clarification for anything that I am unsure about. It is very easy to get distracted with how much information is thrown at us on a daily basis, so slow yourself down.

Carter’s biggest Tip & Trick for college success: My biggest piece of advice for college students is consistency in your learning. It is much better to be active in your learning for a little bit every day than to try and cram the night before an exam. Try to integrate learning into your daily routine and you will find much more success! 

What keeps Carter motivated as a student: My motivation as a student comes from the enjoyment of learning new things and finding out how things work. Even the most boring lecture can be beneficial if you apply yourself to find the new information you didn’t know before!

Christina’s biggest Tip & Trick for college success: To #1 believe that you can be successful! The #2 most influential study tip is to use the quiz and recall method when studying where you actively recall the information and continue to quiz yourself instead of passively re-reading the material. This trick deepened my comprehension tremendously and helped me succeed in hard courses.

What keeps Christina motivated as a student: By remembering my “why” and keeping the bigger picture in mind. Friends who go through the process with you are an incredible asset.

Julia’s biggest Tip & Trick for college success: If you are spending more than twenty minutes on the same problem, bookmark it and move on to the next problem. You will often have an "ah-ha" moment shortly after stepping away from the proverbial brick wall. If not, seek outside help. Your tutors, instructors, and embedded coaches are here to help you! 

What keeps Julia motivated as a student: I stay motivated by setting attainable goals. It is difficult to stay motivated when your To Do list says "graduate college" and nothing else. Instead, I like to break down each day into small, realistic tasks like: "Joining office hours" and "Making it to class on time."