We asked Bacon for his perspective about college life, and what advice he'd give new students to help them truly make the most of their university experience.
The founder of GBM Group and That Student Page told Bored Panda in an email that being social and being open to new experiences is what students should focus on.
"I would recommend for those starting university to really try put yourself out there in the first month," Bacon shared.
"Try new things and make sure you're present with people—it's much easier to make friends when others are also looking to do so," he said.
Meanwhile, we were also curious to get the GBM Group founder's thoughts on what professors can do to connect with their students a bit more and how they could make their teaching material more relatable.
"I think this depends on the subject. But for anything new or social, I'd say including real-life examples."
Bacon said that this is "so students can relate or visualize better than reading from a textbook, which will most likely be dated."
Coursera points out that a key aspect of achieving success is showing up. “Regarding academic success, attending class and during office hours can impact your overall success in many ways.”
For one, going to your lectures and seminars is the primary way you’ll learn about new topics. Reading through your textbook is useful, sure, but it’s just one part of the puzzle. When you’re physically attending classes, you show your professors in a very real way that you care about doing well.
Meanwhile, office hours are a fantastic way to improve your academic performance and create an authentic rapport with your professors and advisors beyond the classrooms and lecture halls.
“Many students use office hours to clarify confusing concepts, find out their grades, get advice on future career objectives, or simply socialize. Professors and advisors have a wealth of knowledge—use that knowledge to move closer to your goals. And later, as you prepare for life after college, whether that involves grad school or applying for jobs, these are the people you might one day ask for a letter of recommendation,” Coursera says.
Students also ought to focus on their physical and mental health (though that advice holds true no matter what chapter of your life you’re in). For one, you want to make sure that you’re getting enough sleep. Otherwise, you’ll impair your body and brain’s ability to function and learn new things.
Eating a healthy, nutritious, and balanced diet, getting lots of movement, spending time with positive people, drinking plenty of water, moderating your vices: all of these things have a direct impact on how you feel and how well you do, well, pretty much anything.
Meanwhile, the Harvard Summer School suggests taking breaks between your study sessions in order to boost the retention of new information.
“Studies have shown that wakeful rest plays just as important a role as practice in learning a new skill. Rest allows our brains to compress and consolidate memories of what we just practiced. Make sure that you are allowing enough time, relaxation, and sleep between study sessions so your brain will be refreshed and ready to accept new information.”
Going to university is, for many people, a massive change. Unless you’re attending a local college, it possibly means that you’ll be moving to another city, state, or country, and starting life on your own.
You’ll probably be moving out of your parents’ place, and that means taking on lots of new responsibilities. For one, you’ll be responsible for the basics like buying the groceries, cooking your food, and doing all the chores. You’ll have to learn to juggle all of that with your studies, part-time job, and leisure time.
You’ll have to make sure that you stay disciplined and carve out enough time every week to study. Ideally, you want to find some sort of balance so you’re not just studying or partying 24/7.
