Contonta

Covor lago
1|t|o lago
lotroooctloo
1 0on't 0o A|| ot Your load|ng
2 Croato a 3unday l|tua|
8 0rop C|assos Evory 3omostor
4 3tart long-1orm lrojocts tho 0ay 1hoy Aro Ass|gnod
5 Vako Your 3od
0 App|y to 1on 3cho|arsh|ps a Yoar
7 3u||d 3tudy 3ystoms
8 3otr|ond a lrotossor
0 3ocomo a C|ub lros|dont
10 load a lowspapor Evory 0ay
11 0o Ono 1h|ng 3ottor 1han Anyono E|so You Know
12 Avo|d 0a||y 1o-0o l|sts
18 loarn to G|vo Up
14 lovor lap
15 3|gn Up tor 3omoth|ng Your ||rst Wook
10 A|ways 3o Work|ng on a Grand lrojoct'
17 1ako Art ||story and Astronomy
18 3|ow tho Curvo Onco a 1orm
10 Ask Ono Ouost|on at Evory locturo
20 1ump |nto losoarch as 3oon as loss|b|o
21 lay Your 0uos
22 3tudy |n ||tty-V|nuto Chunks
28 3chodu|o Your |roo 1|mo
24 0ross l|co|y tor C|ass
25 0ocorato Your loom
20 3tart 3tudy|ng 1wo Wooks |n Advanco
27 Wr|to Outs|do ot C|ass
28 Eat A|ono 1w|co a 0ay
20 ||nd an Escapo
80 1ako |ard Coursos Ear|y On
81 0on't 3tudy |n Your loom
82 0on't 3tudy |n Groups
88 1o|n an |onors lrogram
84 0o 3choo|work Evory 0ay
85 Attond Guost locturos
80 Exorc|so ||vo 0ays a Wook
87 3tay |n 1ouch
88 1ack on an Extra Vajor or V|nor
80 Voot Otton w|th Your Adv|sor
40 0on't Got a lorma| 1ob
41 Uso 1hroo 0ays to Wr|to a lapor
42 0on't Undors|oop, 0on't Ovors|oop
48 lo|ax 3otoro Exams
44 Vako |r|onds Your #1 lr|or|ty
45 0on't 3|ngo 0r|nk
40 lgnoro Your C|assmatos' Grados
47 3ook Out lhonomona| Ach|ovors
48 loarn to l|ston
40 lovor lu|| an A||-l|ghtor
40 lovor lu|| an A||-l|ghtor
50 laugh Evory 0ay
51 Uso ||gh-Oua||ty lotobooks
52 Koop a Work-lrogross 1ourna|
58 3ook Out |un
54 lnt|ato Your Amb|t|on
55 Got lnvo|vod w|th Your Vajor 0opartmont
50 Caro About Your Grados, lgnoro Your G.l.A.
57 A|ways Go to C|ass
58 3ot Arb|trary 0oad||nos
50 Eat |oa|thy
00 vo|untoor Ou|ot|y
01 Wr|to as |t Go|ng tor a lu||tzor
02 Attond lo||t|ca| la|||os
08 Vax|m|zo Your 3ummors
04 Chooso Goa|s, Exp|oro loutos
05 0on't 1ako 3roaks 3otwoon C|assos
00 0on't lotwork
07 lub||sh Op-Eds
08 Uso a ||||ng Cab|not
00 ||nd a 3ocrot 3tudy 3paco
70 3tudy w|th tho Ou|z-and-loca|| Vothod
71 Empty Your ln-3ox
72 lo|ax 3otoro 3|oop
78 3tart |ast, End 3|ow
74 3pond a 3omostor 3tudy|ng Abroad
75 0on't |avo lo logrots'
Acknow|odgmonts
About tho Author
Copyr|ght lago

|ntroduction

Co||ogo. Yoo'vo probob|y boon hoar|ng about |t and
p|ann|ng tor |t tor yoars, and now, |t's t|na||y horo. 1ho 3A1s
aro ovor, your app||cat|on's boon accoptod, and h|gh
schoo| |s soon to bocomo just anothor tad|ng momory.
You'ro about to ombark on a groat advonturo- ono you'||
romombor your ont|ro ||to.
1horo |s no quost|on that co||ogo |s a |ot ot tun. lt's tour
yoars ot troodom and oxc|tomont and growth. 3tay|ng out
unt|| two A.V. party|ng, and stay|ng up unt|| dawn ta|k|ng w|th
tr|onds. lovo||ng |n tho chaos ot cramm|ng tor m|dtorms,
and d|scovor|ng how to approc|ato d|n|ng ha|| tood.
loarn|ng how to wr|to a powortu|, porsuas|vo papor, and
t|gur|ng out how to transtorm your bodshoot |nto a toga.
1rust mo whon l say that you'ro |n tor a good t|mo.
|owovor, thoro |s moro to tour yoars ot co||ogo than
amusomont. lt's a|so tho |aunch|ng pad tor tho rost ot your
||to. 1ho tough truth |s that gott|ng a good job thoso days |s
hard. Gott|ng accoptod to a good |aw schoo|, graduato
schoo|, or mod|ca| schoo| |s a|so hard. You havo just tour
short yoars to proparo yourso|t tor tho wor|d boyond your
co||ogo campus. lt you p|ay your cards r|ght, you w||| havo
tho ab|||ty to ongago |n any pursu|t that |nsp|ros you. lt you
don't mako tho most ot thoso tour yoars, gott|ng startod on
an oxc|t|ng and tu|t||||ng ||to path w||| bo much moro d|tt|cu|t.
ls |t poss|b|o to bo succosstu| at co||ogo and st||| havo
tun? Whon l t|rst arr|vod at schoo|, l d|dn't th|nk so. l thought
thoro was no way that you cou|d both onjoy co||ogo ||to and
oxco| as a studont. As l saw |t, thoro woro two cho|cos: you
cou|d bo tun and soc|a| and put a|| your onorgy |nto moot|ng
poop|o and hav|ng momorab|o oxpor|oncos, or you cou|d
bo a gr|nd, and wh||o away your wookond hours study|ng |n
tho dopths ot tho ||brary. l tru|y d|dn't bo||ovo you cou|d do
both. Unt||, that |s, l mot |o|d|.
Evoryono ||kod |o|d|. 3ho was tun and outgo|ng, sho
know tons ot poop|o, and sho soomod to oxudo onorgy. lt
was c|oar that sho was hav|ng a good t|mo at co||ogo. 3ut
horo's tho catch: sho was a|so a lhodos 3cho|ar. lot to
mont|on a pub||shod author |n tho t|o|d ot mathomat|cs, a
w|nnor ot a lat|ona| 3c|onco |oundat|on Graduato
losoarch |o||owsh|p, and tho toundor ot a succosstu|
commun|ty sorv|co organ|zat|on tor young g|r|s.
l a|so mot Kab|r. |o was a tun-|ov|ng mombor ot a
tratorn|ty l troquontod, a mus|c|an |n a popu|ar campus jazz
group, and an a||-around soc|ab|o guy. |owovor, whon l
roa||y got to know h|m, l d|scovorod that ho was a|so tho
CEO ot a start-up company, a co-toundor ot a grassroots
montor|ng program |n Austra||a, and a r|s|ng star |n tho
wor|d ot youth po||t|cs.
1hon thoro was 1anos, who, |n a br||||ant d|sp|ay ot soc|a|
v|ta||ty, somohow managod to bocomo a mombor ot both a
tratorn|ty and a co-od soc|a| houso-a dot|n|to t|xturo on tho
campus party scono. 3ut th|s wh|r|w|nd soc|a| ||to d|dn't
stop h|m trom sorv|ng as studont body pros|dont two yoars
|n a row, nor d|d |t stop h|m trom p|ann|ng a postgraduat|on
run tor tho stato assomb|y.
C|oar|y, thoso studonts woro proot that acadom|c
succoss and roa|-wor|d amb|t|ons cou|d go hand |n hand
w|th ||v|ng co||ogo ||to to tho tu||ost. 1hoy soomod boundod
by noth|ng. Attor thoy graduatod, tho most compot|t|vo
compan|os wou|d h|ro thom, tho most oxc|us|vo acadom|c
programs wou|d adm|t thom, and tho most |mportant
poop|o wou|d |ovo to moot thom. 1hoy had, howovor,
avo|dod tho tato ot thoso tod|ous studonts who spond tho|r
co||ogo yoars |n a t|ro|oss pursu|t ot a portoct G.l.A.
lnstoad, thoy woro hav|ng a groat t|mo, bu||d|ng tr|ondsh|ps,
and a|| tho wh||o manag|ng to rack up |ncrod|b|y |mpross|vo
ach|ovomonts that wou|d sorvo thom wo|| down tho ||no.
lono ot thoso studonts was |ntorostod |n ach|ov|ng so|o|y
tor ach|ov|ng's sako, rathor, thoy had a natura| hungor tor
|nto||octua| cha||ongo and a t|a|r tor transtorm|ng tho|r
porsona| |ntorosts |nto oxc|t|ng projocts. 1ho|r oxpor|oncos
conv|ncod mo that bocom|ng a standout studont was not
on|y tho bost way to proparo tor ||to |n tho roa| wor|d, |t was
a|so tho bost way to mako co||ogo momorab|o and tu|t||||ng.
1h|s |s what |nsp|rod mo to wr|to th|s book: l wantod to
t|nd out how to bo ||ko |o|d|, Kab|r, or 1anos. ln soarch ot
thoso answors, l troquontod tho Co||ogo l|to' soct|on ot
qu|to a tow bookstoros, but camo up trustrat|ng|y ompty-
handod. 1horo woro p|onty ot campus gu|dos, books tu|| ot
pract|ca| t|nanc|a|-a|d |ntormat|on, and tutor|a|s on how to
scoro h|gh on tho 3A1s, wr|to smart app||cat|on ossays,
and othor tr|cks tor gott|ng |nto good schoo|s. 1horo woro
books that protossod to ho|p you |oarn to spood-road,
dovo|op a supor-sharp momory, and |mprovo your study
sk|||s. And thoro woro p|onty ot t|t|os br|mm|ng w|th pract|ca|
adv|co tor surv|v|ng co||ogo-trom how to do your |aundry to
how to avo|d tho troshmon t|ttoon.' 3ut thoro woro no
books about how to ach|ovo tho hoad-turn|ng, |ntorost|ng,
and roward|ng co||ogo oxpor|oncos boastod by studonts
||ko |o|d|, Kab|r, and 1anos. l wantod roa| adv|co on how to
do tho oxcopt|ona| th|ngs thoy woro do|ng.
3ocauso l cou|dn't t|nd tho answors l wantod at tho
bookstoro, l wont soarch|ng tor thom myso|t. l bogan to
track down and |ntorv|ow top studonts across tho country-
not just tho acadom|c stars, but studonts who tu||y
ombod|od th|s un|quo brand ot mu|t|tacotod succoss. |rom
tho lvy loaguo-|arvard, lr|ncoton, Ya|o, 0artmouth, and
Corno||-to 3tantord, Kansas 3tato, Wako |orost,
C|omson, tho Un|vors|ty ot Wyom|ng, tho Un|vors|ty ot
v|rg|n|a, and tho Un|vors|ty ot Ar|zona, l |ocatod somo
|ncrod|b|o studonts, and l askod thom about tho hab|ts,
systoms, and m|nd-sots that had a|dod thom |n tho|r
accomp||shmonts. l had thom wr|to to-do ||sts tor |ncom|ng
co||ogo troshmon |ntorostod |n do|ng wo|| at co||ogo, and l
prossod thom tor dota||s about spoc|t|c approachos to t|mo
managomont, study|ng, and ba|anc|ng a soc|a| ||to w|th
work|ng hard. Essont|a||y, l wantod to t|nd out ovoryth|ng
that mado thoso suporstars t|ck.
1o bo honost, whon l t|rst startod thoso |ntorv|ows, l was
a ||tt|o |nt|m|datod. l worr|od that l wou|d d|scovor that tho
koy to w|nn|ng at co||ogo was a gon|us-|ovo| l.O., an ab|||ty
to go tor days w|thout s|oop, or maybo ovon a photograph|c
momory. 3ut my toars woro untoundod. l d|scovorod trom
my rosoarch that anyono can bocomo a atandout
atudontI You don't havo to bo a gon|us, you aro a||owod to
got a hoa|thy amount ot s|oop, and your momory doosn't
havo to bo anyth|ng spoc|a|. A|| you roa||y nood |s somo
oxport gu|danco trom thoso who havo dono |t botoro.
|ow shou|d you proparo tor oxams and papors? What
oxtracurr|cu|ar opportun|t|os shou|d you |ook |nto? |ow
shou|d you doa| w|th protossors? What's tho bost way to
koop your |nto||oct st|mu|atod and your mood upboat? |ow
do you ba|anco a tun soc|a| ||to w|th an amb|t|ous
schodu|o? And how can you cratt your pursu|ts to portoct|y
t| t yoor ab|||t|os, |ntorosts, and pass|ons? 1hoso aro tho
|mportant quost|ons that ovory studont noods to ask. And
low to lo ot Co||ogo conta|ns tho answors.
ln th|s book you'|| t|nd sovonty-t|vo ru|os drawn trom tho
oxpor|oncos ot somo ot tho country's most phonomona|
studonts. 1ho|r answors covor tho quost|ons askod abovo,
and moro. 1urn to any pago and you w||| oncountor a s|mp|o
p|oco ot adv|co to ho|p you mako tho most ot your tour
yoars. lo ono chaptor w||| turn you |nto a lhodos 3cho|ar,
and you corta|n|y don't nood to to||ow a|| sovonty-t|vo.
|owovor, |t you so|oct a group ot ru|os that roa||y capturos
your attont|on, and thon tako tho t|mo to |mp|omont thom |n
your ovoryday co||ogo ||to, you w||| not|co romarkab|o
rosu|ts. |a|t tho batt|o |n bocom|ng a standout studont-|n
tact, to bocom|ng a standout |nd|v|dua|-|s mak|ng tho
doc|s|on to act|vo|y try to succood. lt you to||ow tho adv|co |n
th|s book, you w||| bo wo|| on your way toward tak|ng
advantago ot a|| that co||ogo has to ottor, and onsur|ng
yourso|t tho strongost poss|b|o start |n tho roa| wor|d that
to||ows. low to lo ot Co||ogo w||| ho|p you t|nd that portoct
ba|anco noodod to jump-start a ||to t|||od w|th |ntorost|ng
onthus|asms, |mpross|vo ach|ovomonts, and wondortu|
acqua|ntancos and tr|onds.
l w|sh you tho bost ot |uck w|th th|s oxc|t|ng now phaso.
|opotu||y, th|s book w||| ho|p you moot and mastor tho many
opportun|t|os that w||| como your way.

-Ca| lowport



Yoo wl|| bo ass|gnod a |ot ot road|ng at co||ogo. lrobab|y
moro road|ng than sooms human|y poss|b|o tor any ono
porson to comp|oto. 3oc|a| sc|onco and human|t|os
coursos w||| taunt you w|th soom|ng|y short acadom|c
art|c|os that turn out to bo r|dd|od w|th 3yzant|no sontonco
structuros and dov|||sh|y comp||catod |og|c. 3c|onco
coursos w||| s|phon your t|mo, and ho|p you dovo|op a
||to|ong hatrod ot bar charts, w|th a stoady stroam ot
u|tradonso tochn|ca| mator|a|. And just to koop th|ngs
sport|ng, protossors w||| por|od|ca||y s||p ont|ro books |nto
tho sy||abus, otton g|v|ng you on|y a wook or so to t|n|sh
thom. 3ound b|oak? lt doosn't havo to bo. A|| you nood
romombor |s ono s|mp|o ru|o: Don't do aII ot your
roading.
1o a hardwork|ng studont, |gnor|ng ass|gnod road|ng
probab|y sooms b|asphomous. 3ut as unusua| as th|s may
sound at t|rst, covor|ng ovory pago ot road|ng ||stod |n a
courso sy||abus |s raro|y nocossary. |oro |s what you
shou|d do |nstoad:
|or road|ng that covors tho top|c ot an upcom|ng |octuro,
|t's otton sutt|c|ont to just sk|m tho ma|n po|nts ahoad ot
t|mo, and thon t||| |n tho gaps dur|ng c|ass by tak|ng vory
good notos. 3tudonts aro somot|mos atra|d ot sk|mm|ng,
but you shou|dn't bo. You nood to mastor tho sk||| ot
covor|ng hundrods ot pagos ot toxt vory qu|ck|y. 1ho socrot
|s to road chaptor |ntroduct|ons and conc|us|ons carotu||y,
and thon sk|m ovoryth|ng o|so. Vako t|ck marks noxt to
sontoncos that catch your attont|on-th|s |s tastor than
h|gh||ght|ng. 0on't got boggod down try|ng to undorstand
tho s|gn|t|canco ot ovory paragraph. lnstoad, noto on|y tho
passagos that soom to obv|ous|y support tho thos|s. You
w||| dot|n|to|y m|ss somo koy po|nts, but your protossor
won't. 3o pay attont|on |n c|ass whon tho work |s d|scussod,
and you w||| p|ck up tho argumonts that you ovor|ookod.
Como oxam t|mo, your |octuro notos, p|us a rov|ow ot tho
sontoncos you markod, w||| br|ng you up to spood on tho
mator|a|.
lt thoro |s a part|cu|ar ass|gnmont that was not covorod
|n c|ass, but you know that |t w||| bo part ot an upcom|ng
oxam, sk|m ovor |t moro carotu||y. lt you st||| too| shaky on
tho top|c, go to ott|co hours. 0|scuss w|th your protossor
tho conc|us|ons ot tho road|ng. 1ako good notos. 1h|s
comb|nat|on ot carotu| sk|mm|ng and a good rocord ot tho
protossor's thoughts on what's |mportant |s a vory ottoct|vo
way to proparo mator|a| tor tost|ng.
Whon mu|t|p|o books aro ass|gnod as background tor a
papor, t|nd out oar|y oxact|y what your papor top|c w||| bo,
and road on|y tho mator|a| you nood to dovo|op your
spoc|t|c thos|s. 3k|p opt|ona| road|ngs. W|th a|| duo rospoct
to your protossors, thoro aro bottor usos tor your ||m|tod
t|mo.
|or sc|onco coursos, you w||| typ|ca||y bo ass|gnod ono
or two chaptors ot donso tochn|ca| mator|a| to rov|ow tor
oach c|ass. 1hoso ass|gnmonts a|most a|ways covor tho
oxact samo top|cs that tho protossor w||| dota|| |n |octuro.
3k|m thoso chaptors qu|ck|y so you know what to oxpoct,
but put tho bu|k ot your onorgy |nto concontrat|ng |n c|ass.
3c|oncos coursos don't tost you on your road|ng. 1hoy tost
you on tho concopts taught |n tho c|assroom. Your goa| as a
sc|onco studont shou|d bo to como away trom oach |octuro
undorstand|ng what was covorod, and too| comtortab|o
about app|y|ng |t. lt you t|nd yourso|t ta|||ng boh|nd tho
protossor's cha|kboard horo|cs, ramp up tho amount ot
proparatory road|ng you aro do|ng unt|| you aro ab|o to
comtortab|y to||ow a|ong. ln gonora|, road|ng |n sc|onco
coursos shou|d consumo vory ||tt|o ot your t|mo. lut your
attont|on whoro |t mattors: c|ass |octuros and homowork
prob|oms.
1h|s approach to comp|ot|ng c|ass work |s adm|ttod|y an
acqu|rod sk|||. At t|rst you shou|d orr on tho s|do ot caut|on,
do|ng as much road|ng as poss|b|o. 3ut as you ga|n a too|
tor your protossors, and tho structuro ot your coursos, you
can bog|n to back ott on your ass|gnod road|ng unt|| you
t|nd that portoct ba|anco botwoon bo|ng proparod and
bo|ng ott|c|ont. lt you havo ovor wondorod how top studonts
can accomp||sh so much work |n such ||m|tod amounts ot
t|mo, th|s ru|o |s a |argo part ot tho answor.



lor oo ombltloos co||ogo studont, 3unday |s tho most
|mportant day ot tho wook. Evon though |t's tompt|ng on a
3unday morn|ng to just cur| up on your couch and bocomo
|nt|mato|y roacqua|ntod w|th your o|d tr|ond tho 1v, you
roa||y must ros|st. Why? 3ocauso 5unday aota tho tono
tor tho wook that toIIowa.
1h|s |s abso|uto|y truo. lt you attack tho day on 3unday,
you w||| start your wook w|th momontum boh|nd you. lt you
|ot tho day attack you, your wook w||| qu|ck|y dovo|vo |nto
ono protractod gamo ot catch-up. 3o how do you ovorcomo
tho a||uro ot |oung|ng and mako your 3undays count? 1ho
socrot |s to ongago |n tho samo tocus|ng r|tua| ovory
3unday morn|ng-somoth|ng that wakos up your m|nd and
gots your day mov|ng. load tho papor w|th a strong cup ot
cottoo, tako a wa|k w|th a tr|ond, go tor a jog to||owod by a
hot showor, or spond somo t|mo brows|ng |n a noarby
bookstoro. 1hon, w|th your |nto||octua| onorgy p|quod, and
your tocus strong, sott|o |nto a qu|ot spot at tho ||brary and
start work|ng. Wh||o othor studonts s|umbor, you w||| havo a
tu||, und|sturbod day to got ahoad ot your work ob||gat|ons.
1h|s wookond r|tua| w||| a|so ho|p you mako that v|ta|
monta| sw|tch trom wookond dobauchory to workwook
tocus. Whon you party stra|ght through tho wookond unt||
3unday n|ght, Vonday morn|ng |s a|| tho moro dopross|ng.
1ho sat|stact|on you'|| got trom start|ng tho wook |n tu||
command ot your rospons|b|||t|os w||| prov|do tho good
mood and momontum noodod to got through tho days that
to||ow. lt you tako contro| ot your 3unday, you tako contro| ot
your wook.



l yoo oro a co||og|ato suporman, thon bad coursos aro
your krypton|to. You shou|d novor undorost|mato tho
|mportanco ot p|ck|ng a w|nn|ng schodu|o ovory s|ng|o
somostor. Good coursos, w|th ongag|ng protossors and
roasonab|o roqu|romonts, aro tho koy to a groat
oducat|ona| oxpor|onco. 3ad coursos, w|th |ncompat|b|o
protossors and unroasonab|o roqu|romonts, aro tho koy to
dovo|op|ng an u|cor. You muat avoid bad couraoa at aII
coata. 1hoy w||| mako you unhappy, thoy w||| upsot your
acadom|c momontum, thoy w||| sap your w||| to ach|ovo, and
thoy w||| hurt your grados.
3o how do you koop your schodu|o so||d ono hundrod
porcont ot tho t|mo? 1ako advantago ot tho tact that most
co||ogos a||ow studonts to drop, or w|thdraw w|thout pona|ty,
trom any c|ass as |ong as thoy do so by a corta|n doad||no
oach somostor. You don't havo to pay tor droppod c|assos,
and thoy aro novor rocordod on your transcr|pt. Uso th|s
systom to your advantago. At tho bog|nn|ng ot ovory torm,
s|gn up tor ono or two oxtra coursos, and thon attor tho t|rst
wook drop your |oast tavor|to(s).
0ur|ng that t|rst wook, whon you aro doc|d|ng wh|ch
coursos to st|ck w|th, mako noto ot tho protossors' toach|ng
sty|os, rov|ow tho sy||ab| carotu||y, and sk|m through tho
roqu|rod books at tho bookstoro. lt you aro st||| undoc|dod
about whothor to drop a spoc|t|c courso, stop by tho
protossor's ott|co hours and havo a convorsat|on about tho
schodu|o, tho work|oad, and h|s or hor toach|ng ph||osophy.
3oo |t you can track down othor studonts who havo takon
th|s c|ass w|th th|s protossor. ||nd out what thoy th|nk.
1h|s approach m|ght |oad to moro work tor you dur|ng
tho t|rst wook ot oach somostor, but romombor, ono hard
wook |s a|ways bottor than s|xtoon. And thoro |s noth|ng
moro pa|ntu| than work|ng ||ko a dog tor a c|ass that ta||s to
|ntorost you. 0ropp|ng coursos ovory torm |s ||ko an
|nsuranco po||cy aga|nst acadom|c unhapp|noss. 1ako
advantago ot th|s opportun|ty.



Co||ogo stoooots orooo |ong-torm projocts. Why? 3ocauso
wo aro roa||y, roa||y bad at thom. 1h|s |s truo. At th|s vory
momont, at co||ogo campusos across tho country, studonts
aro conv|nc|ng thomso|vos that just bocauso |t's posslb|o to
comp|oto |ong-torm projocts |n ono tronz|od n|ght ot
pan|ckod work, thoy sboo|o to||ow such a p|an. You don't
havo to bo ono ot thoso poop|o.
1ho |uro ot procrast|nat|on |s powortu|, but you can
conquor |t by omp|oy|ng ono vory s|mp|o tochn|quo: Whon
aaaignod a Iong-torm ro[oct, tiniah aomo amount ot
work toward ita comIotion that vory aamo day. 1h|s
doosn't havo to bo a major chunk ot work. 1h|rty m|nutos |s
onough. 0o somoth|ng s|mp|o: jot down a rosoarch
schodu|o on your ca|ondar, skotch out an out||no, chock out
and sk|m tho |ntroduct|on ot sovora| ro|ovant books, wr|to a
sor|os ot potont|a| thos|s statomonts. 1h|s |s a|| |t takos.
Onco you havo accomp||shod somoth|ng, no mattor how
sma||, you roa||zo that start|ng your projoct oar|y |s not
actua||y a|| that bad. ln tact, |t too|s good. You aro a stop
ahoad ot your ont|ro c|ass, and |t was oasy to do. 1h|s
sonsat|on |s powortu|. 3o||ovo |t or not, |t actua||y makos
you |ook torward to comp|ot|ng moro and moro work ahoad
ot schodu|o, unt||, botoro you know |t, you'|| bo t|n|shod-
and |t won't bo tour torty-throo A.V. tho morn|ng tho projoct |s
duo.
Ot courso, th|s approach |s not a m|rac|o curo tor
comp|ot|ng |ong-torm projocts on t|mo. 3|g co||ogo
ass|gnmonts aro st||| roa||y, roa||y hard, and you'|| st||| nood
to work d|||gont|y |n ordor to comp|oto thom (soo lu|o #b2,
Koop a Work-lrogross 1ourna|,' tor moro ho|p on th|s
subjoct). |owovor, tor whatovor psycho|og|ca| roason,
do|ng somo work tho day a projoct |s ass|gnod sooms to
havo a noar-m|racu|ous ottoct on roduc|ng tho tondoncy to
do|ay. 3o g|vo th|s ru|o a try. 1horo |s no roason to |ot |ong-
torm projocts torco you to scramb|o ||ko a man|ac at tho |ast
m|nuto. 3tart sma|| and start |mmod|ato|y.



lt toros oot that mom was r|ght, you nood to mako your bod
ovory morn|ng, protorab|y |mmod|ato|y attor you wako up.
Vako th|s an unbroakab|o hab|t, ||ko brush|ng your tooth.
3ut that's not a||. You shou|d a|so novor |oavo c|othos |y|ng
around your room-put thom |n a hampor or |n your
drawors attor you chango. lut books on tho sho|vos whoro
thoy bo|ong, and whon you aro dono w|th papors and
notobooks, put thom away |n your dosk. Empty your
garbago baskot da||y.
1hoso aro tho bas|c cond|t|ons tor koop|ng a c|oan and
organ|zod dorm room, and thoy aro ossont|a|. |ow cou|d
somoth|ng as s|mp|o as mak|ng your bod havo a dramat|c
|mpact on your co||ogo succoss? 3ocauso a c|oan room
croatos a tocusod m|nd, a mossy room croatos a
d|stractod m|nd. You want a tocusod m|nd. 1ho moro
tocusod you aro, tho moro ottoct|vo|y you can hand|o tho
cha||ongos ot bo|ng a studont. Whon you aro tr|pp|ng ovor
d|scardod p|zza boxos, sn|tt|ng random p||os ot c|oth|ng to
t|nd a c|oan' pa|r ot socks, and constant|y soarch|ng undor
turn|turo and boh|nd app||ancos to t|nd that book you nood,
|t's roa||y hard to got onorg|zod. lmag|no that you havo a
papor to wr|to. ln wh|ch |nstanco wou|d |t bo oas|or to got
startod: ||v|ng |n a war zono ot a room whoro your dosk |s
bost |dont|t|od as tho box||ko shapo undor that p||o ot
|aundry and d|scardod 1w|nk|o wrappors, or, a|tornat|vo|y,
||v|ng |n a c|oan, ordor|y onv|ronmont w|th a c|oar dosk and
tho rosourcos you nood road||y at your d|sposa|?
Ot courso, thoro |s a|so tho poss|b|||ty ot gott|ng stuck
w|th tho droadod mossy roommato. ln th|s |nstanco, thoro |s
probab|y not much you can do to chango h|s or hor
bohav|or. 1rust mo, thousands botoro you havo tr|od.
|owovor, th|s doosn't got you ott tho hook. Koop your s|do
ot tho room c|oan, and tako rospons|b|||ty tor tho gonora|
act|ons, ||ko ompty|ng wastobaskots, vacuum|ng, and
por|od|ca||y dust|ng. 1h|s may not sound ta|r, but |t's a sma||
pr|co to pay to w|n at co||ogo.
lt you cannot ma|nta|n an organ|zod room you w||| novor
tru|y too| that your ||to |s organ|zod. 3y koop|ng your ||v|ng
spaco |n ordor thoro w||| bo towor d|stract|ons, and you w|||
too| |n contro| ot your onv|ronmont. 1hoso tra|ts aro
abso|uto|y nocossary to support amb|t|ous ach|ovomont. lt
hurts, l know. 3ut |t |s |mportant to koop your room c|oan.
And |t w||| mako your mothor happy.



Ooo o tbo most str|k|ng o|omonts ot a standout studont's
rosumo |s typ|ca||y tho awards and honors soct|on. lt's hard
not to bo |mprossod whon you soo scho|arsh|p attor
scho|arsh|p p||od on top ot ono anothor |nto an |ntor|or|ty
comp|ox-|nduc|ng ava|ancho ot acco|ados. |oro |s tho
socrot that your no|ghborhood lhodos 3cho|ar doosn't
want you to know: Any atudont can croato an
imroaaivoIy Iargo Iiat ot awarda. 1ho koy |s to stop
th|nk|ng ot scho|arsh|ps and awards as g|tts handod down
trom abovo to on|y tho most dosorv|ng studonts. 1ho roa||ty
|s that many scho|arsh|ps and awards aro actua||y handod
down trom an ovorworkod, un|ntorostod adm|n|strator who
was ass|gnod tho untortunato task ot choos|ng a w|nnor
trom tho dopross|ng|y sma|| poo| ot studonts who actua||y
bothorod to app|y corroct|y. 1horotoro, tor a |ot ot sma||
awards, |t you tako tho t|mo to app|y, and domonstrato
d|||gont ottort |n your app||cat|on, your odds ot w|nn|ng aro
qu|to good. 1ako advantago ot th|s s|tuat|on!
|oro |s what you shou|d do: Contact your doan's ott|co,
Caroor 3orv|cos Contor, and dopartmonts ro|at|ng to your
t|o|d ot study. Ask thom tor |ntormat|on on scho|arsh|ps,
to||owsh|ps, and awards. A|so, uso Wob-basod sorv|cos
such as |astWob (www.tastwob.com) and ||nA|d!
(www.t|na|d.org) to soarch tor add|t|ona| nat|ona|
scho|arsh|ps tor wh|ch you aro o||g|b|o. 1a|k to tho
compan|os whoro your paronts, aunts, unc|os, and s|b||ngs
work, t|nd out |t thoy ottor any studont scho|arsh|ps. And
t|na||y, |ook tor scho|arsh|ps trom compan|os or
organ|zat|ons |n any |ndustry ot |ntorost to you. |rom th|s
|argo h|t ||st, chooso up to ton scho|arsh|ps that bost t|t your
ab|||t|os, pass|ons, and accomp||shmonts. Vark tho
doad||nos on your ca|ondar and app|y to ovory s|ng|o ono ot
thom whon tho t|mo |s r|ght. 0o th|s ovory yoar.
Wh||o th|s aggross|vo approach may torco you to
sacr|t|co somo hours, by tho t|mo you graduato you w|||
havo amassod a hoad-turn|ng ||st ot honors. 1h|nk about |t.
|or ovory ton wo||-so|octod scho|arsh|ps and awards you
app|y tor, you probab|y havo a good shot at w|nn|ng at |oast
ono, and maybo ovon two or throo. And ot courso, tho moro
scho|arsh|ps you w|n, tho bottor your odds on tuturo
app||cat|ons. 1h|s moans that attor tour yoars you can
approach tho job markot (or grad schoo| adm|ss|ons
comm|ttoos) w|th qu|to a tow honors ||stod on your rosumo.
1h|s |s unusua|, th|s |s |mpross|vo, and |t |s a groat way to
ga|n accoss to o||to opportun|t|os.



low oo smort studonts study? ln ovory b|zarro way
|mag|nab|o. 1horo |s tho math major who ass|gns po|nt
va|uos to a|| ot h|s rov|ow stratog|os, and thon koops a
sproadshoot to mako suro that ho covors a corta|n numbor
ot po|nts by oxam day. Or thoro |s tho |ronch studont who
croatos o|aborato qu|z show-sty|o gamos to |oarn now
vocabu|ary. Or tho po||t|ca| sc|onco major who croatos g|ant
know|odgo maps on hor wa||, ||nk|ng concopts v|sua||y w|th
br|ght yarn. 3mart studonts bu||d comp|ox study systoms.
1ho dota||s ot thoso approachos don't mattor, as |ong as
thoy aro spoc|t|c, rog|montod, and croat|vo. |o||ow th|s
oxamp|o. You ahouId novor bogin atudying without a
ayatomizod Ian tor what you aro going to roviow, in
what tormat, and how many timoa.
3u||d|ng vory spoc|t|c study systoms broaks a
torm|dab|o task |nto accomp||shab|o chunks, and |t troos up
your onorgy to tocus on |oarn|ng rathor than worry|ng about
your stato ot proparat|on. W|thout a study systom, you ond
up wandor|ng haphazard|y through tho mator|a|, star|ng at a
ta|| stack ot books w|th woo |n your hoart and ros|gnat|on on
your m|nd. W|th a study systom, your task bocomos
to|orab|o.
3otoro you ovon crack your t|rst book, tako ton m|nutos
to actua||y wr|to down oxact|y how you p|an to study. look at
lu|os #20 and 70 tor somo gu|danco on rov|ow tochn|quos
that work wo||. 1hon bu||d a chock||st w|th b|g boxos roady
to bo chockod ott as tho corrospond|ng tasks aro
comp|otod. Onco you aro conv|ncod that th|s study systom
w||| adoquato|y proparo you, you can thon troo yourso|t trom
any worr|os as to whothor you w||| bo roady tor tho
upcom|ng oxam. Your rospons|b|||t|os havo boon roducod
to s|mp|y t|nd|ng tho t|mo to p|ow through ovory |tom |n your
p|an.
ln add|t|on, tho moro unusua| or croat|vo your systom, tho
bottor. 1h|s w||| roduco tod|um, |njoct somo novo|ty |nto tho
procoss, and |oad to tho ostab||shmont ot strongor monta|
connoct|ons. 1h|s |s why tho atoromont|onod math major
usod a po|nt systom, tho |ronch major dos|gnod a qu|z
show, and tho po||t|ca| sc|onco major tapod yarn to hor wa||.
1ho|r study systoms aro comprohons|vo ooo |ntorost|ng.
1hoy aro study|ng smart, and bocauso ot th|s thoy w||| do
wo||.
Whon |t comos to study|ng, tho p|ann|ng |s as |mportant
as tho procoss. W|thout a study systom, you can ond up
wast|ng your t|mo, onorgy, and potont|a| grado.



Cootrory to popo|or studont bo||ot, protossors aro not ov||
|ords ot acadom|a who swoop down trom tho|r |vory towors
on|y to tormont you w|th papors, convo|utod sy||ab|, and
b|uo-book oxams. ln roa||ty, thoy aro usua||y qu|to n|co.
Evon moro |mportant, thoy aro a most cruc|a| a||y |n your
quost to max|m|zo your co||ogo oxpor|onco. |t you want to
bocomo a atandout atudont, you muat botriond a
rotoaaor. Vako h|m or hor a montor, somoono who |s
awaro ot your ovora|| acadom|c p|an, your ||to goa|s, your
concorns, and your tr|umphs.
A c|oso ro|at|onsh|p w|th a protossor w||| ho|p mot|vato
you to ach|ovo amb|t|ous acadom|c goa|s and w||| oxposo
you to oxc|t|ng now poss|b|||t|os. lrotossors aro tho
gatokoopors to studont succoss. 1hoy prov|do tho |ottors ot
rocommondat|on, |ntorma| |ntroduct|ons, and oxpor|oncod
adv|co that aro nocossary to w|n major scho|arsh|ps, got
accoptod |nto compot|t|vo programs, |and droam
|ntornsh|ps, bo nom|natod tor awards, and, |n gonora|,
onab|o you to tako advantago ot a|| tho opportun|t|os
typ|ca||y ottorod on|y to top studonts. ln short, protossors
prov|do tho tuo| tor tho acadom|c succoss mach|no.
0on't worry. Vak|ng an a||y ot a protossor |s not a
d|tt|cu|t task. lrotossors onjoy |ntoract|ng w|th tho|r
studonts, |t |s otton tho on|y toodback thoy got on how wo||
thoy aro do|ng tho|r job. 1o croato a moan|ngtu| connoct|on,
you shou|d bog|n w|th rogu|ar attondanco at ott|co hours.
3omo studonts worry that thoy don't havo any spoc|t|c
prob|oms to d|scuss. 1ho socrot |s to bo obsorvant. 1horo
aro many moro opportun|t|os to spoak w|th a protossor
than you m|ght roa||zo at t|rst. Whon you aro work|ng on a
papor, you can soo tho protossor to ta|k about poss|b|o
top|cs, thon aga|n to got toodback on tho |doa you
so|octod, and thon aga|n to chock tho structuro ot your
argumont onco you bog|n wr|t|ng. Whon an oxam |s
approach|ng, you can ask tor c|ar|t|cat|on on part|cu|ar|y
d|tt|cu|t mator|a| covorod |n c|ass. And |t you aro |n a
tochn|ca| c|ass, tho door |s a|ways opon to d|scuss
homowork prob|oms or concopts that you can't qu|to grasp.
lt thoso ottorts rosu|t |n a strong rapport, a||ow your
convorsat|ons to sh|tt gradua||y trom spoc|t|c c|ass-ro|atod
|ssuos to acadom|c adv|co |n gonora|. Koop th|s d|a|oguo
opon ovon attor tho somostor onds, mak|ng suro to koop |n
touch w|th tho protossor on a rogu|ar bas|s. 3w|ng by h|s or
hor ott|co ovory onco |n a wh||o to g|vo an updato on how
th|ngs aro go|ng. lt tho protossor ottors othor coursos
ro|ovant to your |ntorosts, mako a po|nt ot tak|ng thom. 3y
domonstrat|ng such a concontratod ottort to |oarn trom tho
w|sdom ot your targot protossor, ovor t|mo, ho or sho w|||
dovo|op a vostod |ntorost |n your succoss.
1h|s approach |s not tock|oss brown-nos|ng, so |gnoro
thoso who suggost othorw|so. 3otr|ond|ng a protossor |s
about tu|t||||ng tho portoct|y natura| dos|ro to havo a moro
oxpor|oncod porson gu|do you through a comp||catod and
oxc|t|ng por|od ot your ||to. lt's a mutua||y bonot|c|a|
ro|at|onsh|p that prov|dos tho protossor w|th a sonso ot
|mpact and tu|t|||mont, and prov|dos you w|th a var|oty ot
wondortu| now opportun|t|os and counso|. loavo tho sh|ny
rod app|o at homo-a sor|ous protossor|a| ro|at|onsh|p |s a
s|gn ot a sor|ous comm|tmont to your acadom|c caroor.



7o pot lt b|unt|y, |os|ng studonts don't th|nk thoy havo
onough t|mo to bo |nvo|vod w|th oxtracurr|cu|ar
organ|zat|ons. Avorago studonts jo|n oxtracurr|cu|ar
organ|zat|ons. And w|nn|ng studonts roo oxtracurr|cu|ar
organ|zat|ons. You hoard |t horo t|rst: You abaoIutoIy
havo tho abiIity to run a camua organization. 1h|s |s
not somoth|ng to bo atra|d ot. lt's not noar|y as comp||catod
or comp|oto|y t|mo-consum|ng as you m|ght |mag|no, and
|t's dot|n|to|y w|th|n your grasp. ln gonora|, |t you aro a wo||-
organ|zod porson, c|ub |oadorsh|p may bo cha||ong|ng, but
|t's tar trom ovorwho|m|ng. Koop th|s |n m|nd, bocauso
most studonts so|| thomso|vos short and aro happy just to
bo |nvo|vod. You, howovor, want to bo |n chargo!
||nd a c|ub on campus that oxc|tos you and jo|n as soon
as poss|b|o. Work hard, attond a|| tho moot|ngs, tako
pos|t|ons ot rospons|b|||ty whonovor thoy aro ava||ab|o, and
to||ow a path |nto a |oadorsh|p pos|t|on.
lt you havo a strong |doa tor an organ|zat|on that doosn't
a|roady ox|st, th|s |s ovon bottor. 3pond ono yoar work|ng
w|th an ox|st|ng c|ub to ga|n an undorstand|ng ot how
studont organ|zat|ons oporato at your co||ogo. 1hon pot|t|on
your schoo| tor tho rosourcos nocossary to start your own.
Why |s th|s a good |doa? 3ocauso tow co||og|ato
oxpor|oncos aro moro roward|ng than tho cha||ongo ot
runn|ng a campus c|ub. You w||| ga|n substant|a| amounts ot
cont|donco trom |oad|ng your to||ow studonts toward a
common goa|, and you'|| ma|nta|n a hoa|thy sonso ot
porspoct|vo by t|nd|ng sourcos ot accomp||shmont
unro|atod to acadom|c portormanco. You'|| moot poop|o
who sharo your common |ntorosts and bond ovor your
sharod goa|s |n a way you raro|y do |n an acadom|c
c|assroom. And ot courso, whon app|y|ng tor jobs, awards,
or compot|t|vo programs, bo|ng a c|ub pros|dont ho|ps you
r|so abovo othor app||cants.
An acadom|c curr|cu|um a|ono |s not onough to koop ||to
at co||ogo |ntorost|ng. 3ut don't wasto your troo t|mo w|th
scattorod, |ooso comm|tmonts, |nstoad, tocus on a tow
concontratod goa|s. lt you aro tru|y |ntorostod |n bocom|ng a
standout, tak|ng contro| ot a campus organ|zat|on |s an
oxco||ont start.



l yoor brolo |s a musc|o, thon road|ng a nowspapor |s ||ko
monta| ca||sthon|cs. ln ordor to succood |n an acadom|c
onv|ronmont your m|nd has to bo constant|y onorg|zod,
cont|dont, and roady to ongago. W|th th|s |n m|nd, you
ahouId road a nowaaor ovory day.
load|ng a major nowspapor at tho samo t|mo ovory day
|s a portoct way to ju|co up your monta| onorgy and proparo
you to tako on |nto||octua| cha||ongos. Vako |t a hab|t. lt
thoy'ro ava||ab|o, a|tornato botwoon tho Now York 7lmos
and tho o|| 5troot 1ooroo|. 1hoy aro both oxco||ont, and
whon comb|nod w||| g|vo you a ba|ancod wor|d v|ow. lt you
don't havo accoss to o|thor ot thoso papors, try U5A
7oooy. 1hough porhaps not as |n-dopth, tho roport|ng |s
t|mo|y, and |t can bo tu||y road |n ono s|tt|ng. As a |ast
rosort, you can accoss most ot thoso nowspapors on||no.
1ho |oca| papor m|ght bo |ntorost|ng, but |t's no subst|tuto.
load ovory art|c|o on tho tront pago, and thon road two
or throo art|c|os ot |ntorost trom oach ot tho |ntor|or
soct|ons. 0on't just sk|p r|ght to tho sports pago. 1ry to
oxpand your |nto||octua| hor|zons ovory day. 1h|s rogu|ar
road|ng ot a major nowspapor w||| koop you curront on tho
stato ot |ntornat|ona| and domost|c atta|rs, po||t|cs,
bus|noss, and tho t|no arts. 1h|s |n turn w||| boost your
monta| onorgy and cont|donco, and opon you to now
porspoct|vos and |ntormat|on that w||| ho|p your coursowork.
load|ng a da||y papor prov|dos ossont|a| tood tor your
amb|t|ous bra|n. Vako suro you don't go hungry.



l yoo woot to succood at co||ogo, you havo to dovo|op a
hoa|thy sonso ot so|t-cont|donco. 1h|s doosn't moan you
shou|d bo arrogant-such poop|o aro otton socrot|y
|nsocuro. lnstoad, you want to bo so|t-assurod, proud, and
modost a|| at tho samo t|mo. 1hoso aro tho tra|ts ot a wo||-
||kod, succosstu| studont.
Eas|or sa|d than dono? lot roa||y. Ono good tochn|quo
tor bo|stor|ng your cont|donco |s mastor|ng a sk|||. Evoryono
|s good at somoth|ng. A|| you nood to do |s to t|nd out what
th|s somoth|ng |s tor you, and thon pract|co unt|| you aro
bottor at |t than any ot your tr|onds at schoo|. 3o |t p|ay|ng
tho gu|tar, wr|t|ng t|ct|on, shoot|ng hoops, or cook|ng,
dovoIo a akiII you can bo known tor. Aga|n, th|s |s not
about bragg|ng r|ghts. loop|o can know you aro good at
somoth|ng w|thout you hav|ng to constant|y rom|nd thom.
1h|s |s about ro|ntorc|ng your |dont|ty and sonso ot so|t-
cont|donco.
Why |s th|s so |mportant? 3ocauso co||ogo |s an
ovorwho|m|ng soc|a| onv|ronmont. You aro thrown |nto a
sma|| spaco w|th thousands ot othor studonts who know
noth|ng about you. Vany studonts ta|| to ma|nta|n a strong
sonso ot |dont|ty |n th|s s|tuat|on, and |nstoad bog|n to pog
tho|r so|t-worth on roco|v|ng tho rospoct and adm|rat|on ot
othors. lt you'ro |nv|tod to a hot party, do wo|| on a tost, or
catch tho oyo ot that cuto g|r| (or boy) ahoad ot you |n tho
|unch ||no, you too| good about yourso|t. 3ut |t you ond up
w|th no p|ans tor |r|day n|ght, bomb a tost, or roa||zo that
tho cuto g|r| was actua||y sm|||ng at hor bodybu||dor
boytr|ond stand|ng r|ght boh|nd you, wo||, thon you too|
protty |ousy. 1ho stato ot your so|t-ostoom |s ||ko a ro||or-
coastor r|do, d|ttor|ng trom day to day dopond|ng on ovonts
boyond your contro|. You cannot w|n at co||ogo w|th th|s
m|nd-sot.
Whon you aro dopondont on good th|ngs happon|ng to
mako you too| good, your ||to bocomos contorod on
prosorv|ng a good mood. 1h|s w||| constra|n you, bocauso |t
you aro constant|y worr|od about avo|d|ng anyth|ng
nogat|vo, you w||| novor do anyth|ng out ot tho ord|nary.
3tandout studonts, on tho othor hand, do vory ||tt|o that ls
ord|nary. 1h|s |s what makos thom so phonomona|. 1hoy
t|nd bottor ways, uncovor now approachos, and quost|on
ovoryth|ng. 1ho on|y way to dovo|op such an aggross|vo
m|nd-sot |s to havo a strong sonso ot so|t-cont|donco to
back you up.
0ovo|op|ng thoso tra|ts |s not oasy. 3ut do|ng ono th|ng
bottor than anyono o|so you know |s an oxco||ont start
toward accomp||sh|ng th|s goa|. 3y mastor|ng ono act|v|ty
|n your ||to, you aro putt|ng a stako |nto tho ground, g|v|ng
yourso|t ono th|ng to too| suro ot, and mak|ng a doc|arat|on
about who you aro. 0on't |ot othors d|ctato how you shou|d
too| about yourso|t, strongthon your |dont|ty-thon go
conquor your wor|d.



lor wbotovor roosoo, |t's |ngra|nod |n studonts at an oar|y
ago that tho bost way to stay organ|zod |s to havo a da||y
to-do ||st. You havo probab|y tr|od th|s approach. 1ho |doa
|s to mako a ||st ot a|| tho tasks you nood to got dono, and
thon cross ott tho |toms on tho ||st as you movo through your
day |n an ordor|y and, abovo a||, prod|ctab|o mannor. Yoah,
r|ght!
|oro |s tho most |mportant ru|o you w||| ovor hoar about
studont t|mo managomont: DaiIy to-do Iiata do not work
at coIIogo. Your schodu|o |s too comp||catod and too
unprod|ctab|o. 3omo ass|gnmonts cou|d oas||y tako up
your ont|ro ovon|ng, wh||o othors may tako just m|nutos.
|r|onds w||| drop by unoxpoctod|y, moa|s w||| |ast tor hours,
and |ntorost|ng opportun|t|os tor tun w||| pop up at tho |ast
momont. A to-do ||st can't tamo th|s hoct|c ||tosty|o. lt you
b||nd|y movo through tho day, try|ng to accomp||sh tasks
trom a ||st whonovor |t sooms ||ko you havo somo troo t|mo,
you w||| got vory ||tt|o dono. |oro |s a bottor way to tako
contro| ot your schodu|o:
Evory morn|ng, botoro your t|rst c|ass, r|p a shoot ot
papor out ot your notobook. Go down tho |ott-hand marg|n
mark|ng tho wak|ng hours ot tho day us|ng ovory othor ||no
as a gu|do. low b|ock out tho hours you w||| bo |n c|ass.
1hon b|ock out tho hours you w||| bo oat|ng moa|s, and
whon you w||| bo |n moot|ngs or othor schodu|od ovonts.
1ho wh|to spaco that roma|ns roprosonts tho troo t|mo that
you havo ava||ab|o to work w|th tor tho day. 1h|s |s a groat
way to v|sua||zo your schodu|o. low, start part|t|on|ng th|s
troo t|mo |nto ono-hour |ncromonts, and ass|gn thoso
b|ocks to spoc|t|c projocts and ass|gnmonts. 3ot as|do at
|oast ono b|ock tor accomp||sh|ng sma|| choros or orrands.
loxt to th|s spaco wr|to a sma|| to-do ||st ot tho ||tt|o tasks
you nood to got dono that day. 1h|s onsuros that ovon whon
you havo hugo projocts to work on, tho ||tt|o tasks that koop
your wor|d runn|ng-buy|ng toothpasto or roturn|ng ||brary
books-w||| not bo nog|octod.
Koop th|s shoot w|th you and rotoronco |t throughout tho
day to gu|do your work hab|ts. lt you got knockod ott
schodu|o, wh|ch w||| happon troquont|y, s|mp|y tako out your
shoot at tho noxt ava||ab|o ca|m momont and spond ha|t a
m|nuto roorgan|z|ng your t|mo tor tho roma|n|ng hours ot tho
day.
1h|s approach on|y takos two paragraphs to oxp|a|n, and
just m|nutos a day to |mp|omont, but |t |s oxponont|a||y moro
ottoct|vo than da||y to-do ||sts. Un|oss you'ro a b|g tan ot
stross, do yourso|t a tavor and g|vo t|mo-b|ock|ng a try. lt's a
much smartor way to manago your day.



Uo|oss yoo oro starr|ng |n a Rocky mov|o, romombor:
Civing u ia a tacticaI akiII, not a woaknoaa. Whon you
aro tacod w|th a projoct or comm|tmont that throatons to
swa||ow up your ont|ro ||to, g|vo up. 1hat's r|ght, g|vo up. Ot
courso, th|s probab|y sounds a ||tt|o unusua| (road: |nsano)
to tho many ta|ontod studonts out thoro who strong|y bo||ovo
|n tho powor ot dotorm|nat|on and w|||powor. 3ut a|though
stoadtast d|||gonco |s dot|n|to|y an adm|rab|o tra|t, |t's
worth|oss at co||ogo.
ln tho |ntonso onv|ronmont ot h|ghor oducat|on |t's not
onough to just gr|nd away at your prob|oms unt|| thoy aro
so|vod. You havo to bo smart about how you parco| out your
proc|ous t|mo. Whon tacod w|th a d|tt|cu|t prob|om or
domand|ng comm|tmont, try to hand|o |t |n a roasonab|o
mannor-koop|ng |n m|nd that |mportant tasks otton roqu|ro
|mportant amounts ot t|mo. |owovor, |t a prob|om sooms
unso|vab|o no mattor how hard you try, or a comm|tmont
bog|ns tak|ng up a dostruct|vo|y |argo amount ot your
schodu|o no mattor how much you do|ogato, g|vo up.
1h|s doosn't moan you shou|d wa|k away w|thout a
socond thought. lnstoad, mako an appo|ntmont w|th your
protossor or a c|assmato to ho|p you so|vo your unso|vab|o
prob|om. Or, ovor a roasonab|o por|od ot t|mo, roduco your
|nvo|vomont w|th your domand|ng comm|tmont to troo up
your schodu|o appropr|ato|y.
lot's |ook at a tow samp|o sconar|os to c|ar|ty whon you
shou|d and shou|d not g|vo up. |or oxamp|o, |ot's say you
aro work|ng on an oconom|cs prob|om sot, and you havo
approachod tho prob|oms w|th p|onty ot t|mo and attont|on
but you st||| can't got tho answors. ||rst, mako
arrangomonts to got outs|do ho|p trom a protossor or 1.A.
1hon movo on to somoth|ng o|so. lgnoro your |n|t|a| |nst|nct
to stay up a|| n|ght, batt||ng tho prob|oms unt|| you co||apso
trom oxhaust|on.
On tho othor hand, |ot's say that you havo a now c|ub
comm|tmont that roqu|ros you to spond a tow hours ovory
1uosday n|ght organ|z|ng a campusw|do moot|ng. And |ot's
say that th|s upsots you bocauso |t roa||y roducos tho
amount ot othor work you can got dono on 1uosdays. 1h|s
|s not a good oxcuso to g|vo up. You can componsato tor
tho numbor ot work hours you |oso on 1uosday by adjust|ng
your 3unday and Vonday schodu|os accord|ng|y. 1ho now
comm|tmont |s hard, but |t's not a wasto ot onorgy.
||na||y, |mag|no that your hypothot|ca| c|ub comm|tmont
has now oxpandod groat|y, and you t|nd yourso|t w|th hours
ot work to comp|oto a|most ovory day. lo mattor how
carotu||y you schodu|o, othor parts ot your ||to aro bo|ng
nog|octod. ln th|s |nstanco, you can't contro| tho t|mo
comm|tmont. 1ho shoor wo|ght ot tasks has bocomo too
oxpans|vo tor you to comp|oto thom |n roasonab|o ba|anco
w|th your othor comm|tmonts. You nood to g|vo up.
0o|ogato a major port|on ot tho work, or stop down trom
your pos|t|on ot powor.
ln thoso oxamp|os, tho koy word tor doc|d|ng whothor or
not to g|vo up was product|v|ty.' lt's okay to spond many
hours work|ng on somoth|ng as |ong as thoso hours aro
product|vo. ln tho t|rst oxamp|o, |t's not product|vo to spond
t|mo on prob|oms that you w||| novor tu||y undorstand w|thout
outs|do ho|p. 1horotoro you aro smart to g|vo up.
ln tho socond oxamp|o, tho b|ock ot t|mo you havo to
spond on 1uosday n|ghts |s product|vo. You'ro gott|ng
somoth|ng |mportant accomp||shod, and you havo moro
than onough advanco warn|ng to componsato tor tho t|mo
roqu|rod. G|v|ng up horo wou|d moan m|ss|ng out on an
opportun|ty whoso rowards oas||y outwo|gh tho cost ot
roschodu||ng a coup|o ot work hours onco a wook.
1ho th|rd oxamp|o |s a ||tt|o b|t tr|cky. lt may soom ||ko
oach |nd|v|dua| task you do |s usotu|, but |t's tho|r shoor
cumu|at|vo vo|umo that makos your |nvo|vomont
unproduct|vo. lt a comm|tmont has no t|mo tramo, and |t
sooms ||ko you cou|d push ovoryth|ng o|so as|do and work
tor days stra|ght w|thout ovor tu|t||||ng a|| that noods to bo
dono, thon that comm|tmont |s unproduct|vo. 1ho rowards
do not outwo|gh tho tromondous t|mo cost. You nood to
g|vo up or |oso your who|o schodu|o to an uncontro||ab|o
stroam ot tasks.
lroduct|vo work |s any work that |s ott|c|ont|y
accomp||shab|o |n a known amount ot t|mo. lt a task has no
ond |n s|ght, or sor|ous t|mo spont on |t accomp||shos vory
||tt|o, you nood to g|vo up. 1o |oarn to g|vo up |s to |oarn to
wood out your unproduct|vo comm|tmonts so you can
max|m|zo what you got dono. 1h|s |s a tra|t you shou|d
dovo|op. lomombor, g|v|ng up, whon dono stratog|ca||y, |s
not a woaknoss. lt's s|mp|y smart ||to managomont.



7bls ls vory pa|ntu| to say, but |t's just too |mportant to bo
|gnorod. Wh||o at co||ogo, do not na. (l'|| pauso to wa|t tor
tho groan|ng to d|o down.) A||ow mo to oxp|a|n. 3|oop|ng |n
tho attornoon or oar|y ovon|ng takos up |argo amounts ot
your ||m|tod t|mo, |t makos you drowsy and untocusod, and
|t throws ott your rogu|ar s|oop schodu|o. lot to mont|on that
th|s bohav|or can qu|ck|y bocomo an add|ct|vo bad hab|t,
whoro you'ro rogu|ar|y |os|ng hours to s|oop ovory
attornoon, n|ghts pass t|ttu||y, and stay|ng awako dur|ng
c|ass bocomos a |orcu|oan cha||ongo. Onco a nappor,
a|ways a nappor. lt duo to unavo|dab|o c|rcumstancos you
t|nd yourso|t unusua||y t|rod dur|ng tho day, thoro aro othor
a|tornat|vos tor rojuvonat|ng your onorgy that aro moro
ottoct|vo than napp|ng.
lt you aro too||ng just s||ght|y s|ugg|sh |n tho attornoon, go
outs|do and do somo ||ght oxorc|so. A short jog, a gamo ot
baskotba||, a br|sk wa|k-anyth|ng that gots your hoart
pump|ng w||| usua||y pop you r|ght up. lt oxorc|s|ng doosn't
ho|p, go on tho b|ochom|ca| ottons|vo and targot your
tat|guo w|th tood and dr|nk. Gathor up a p||o ot trosh tru|ts
and a ||tor ot |co-co|d wator. 1h|s |s ||ko rockot tuo| tor your
body, and w||| g|vo you a stroak ot onorgy.
lt, attor a|| ot th|s, your oyo||ds aro st||| droop|ng, don't
g|vo |n to dayt|mo s|umbor just yot. lnstoad, doop-s|x your
d|tt|cu|t study|ng and turn your attont|on to s|mp|or tasks.
0raw up a to-do ||st ot a|| tho ||tt|o choros you havo boon
putt|ng ott. vacuum your room. Va|| |ottors. Go to tho
grocory storo. 1ypo up your |octuro notos. Organ|zo your
c|ass mator|a|s. Chock out and roturn ||brary books. 1hon,
and th|s |s tho |mportant part, hoad to bod oar|y and got a
tu|| n|ght's rost. 1ho koy |s to accomp||sh goa|s throughout
tho day wh||o at tho samo t|mo not throw|ng ott your s|oop
schodu|o. Ono |ato n|ght shou|d not k||| two tu|| days ot
product|v|ty. 3y koop|ng your onorgy h|gh, and thon ta|||ng
|mmod|ato|y back |nto a norma| s|oop rout|no, you can
a||ov|ato tho potont|a| nap-|nducod damago ot drowsy days.



7bo lrst wook ot co||ogo |s an awkward t|mo to say tho
|oast. You don't roa||y know anyono, tho propor procoduros
tor us|ng tho d|n|ng ha|| roma|n o|us|vo, and you toar that |t
ono moro porson tr|os to mako you p|ay a tun got-
acqua|ntod |cobroakor gamo you m|ght snap and stab
thom to doath w|th tho|r own namo tag-markor. Ono
roact|on to th|s s|tuat|on |s to bocomo a |roshman |a||
|orm|t and rotroat |nto tho comtort ot dorm-room to|ov|s|on
and study|ng tor c|assos. 1h|s approach |s not nocossar||y
as b|oak as |t may at t|rst sound. 1hrough random
oncountors you w||| st||| bog|n to moot poop|o dosp|to your
bost ottorts. 3ut tho horm|t approach don|os you a |ot ot
opportun|t|os to got oxc|tod oar|y on |n your co||og|ato
caroor. And, ot courso, oxc|tomont and |nsp|rat|on about
your pursu|ts aro tho tuo| ot a succosstu| co||ogo studont.
3o |nstoad ot hunkor|ng down and |ott|ng your |roshman
|a|| pass by harm|oss|y, ombraco |t who|ohoartod|y by
s|gn|ng up tor somoth|ng your t|rst wook. lt cou|d bo an
|ntramura| sports toam, a pub||cat|on, an att|n|ty group, tho
campus rad|o stat|on, a mus|ca| onsomb|o, or a c|ub that
gathors rogu|ar|y to d|scuss wor|d |ssuos. 1horo aro a
staggor|ng numbor ot act|v|t|os you can potont|a||y jo|n,
chooso just ono that oxc|tos you. Your t|rst wook |s tho bost
t|mo to got |nvo|vod. You w||| bo ono ot many now mombors
|oarn|ng tho ropos, you w||| |nstant|y moot now poop|o, and
throughout your t|rst torm you w||| a|roady havo a sonso ot
oxtracurr|cu|ar purposo. 1ho awkwardnoss ot |roshman
|a|| d|sappoars whon you havo a protab group ot
acqua|ntancos to say h|' to as you pass thom |n tho ||brary.
And hav|ng projocts to work on outs|do ot c|ass |s a groat
way to start rovv|ng up tho amb|t|on and |nsp|rat|on that w|||
ho|p you w|n at co||ogo.
1ho happ|ost studonts aro a|so tho most |nvo|vod
studonts. Whon |t comos to cratt|ng your s|ato ot co||og|ato
pursu|ts, tho soonor you got |nvo|vod, tho bottor.



5occosso|, lotorostlog co||ogo studonts aro dot|n|to|y a
var|od bunch. Yot thoro |s ono th|ng many ot thom havo |n
common: a wondortu| sonso ot poss|b|||ty. Whoroas most
studonts aro contont to stay tho courso, w|nn|ng studonts
|ovo to got oxc|tod about b|g goa|s. 1hoy cravo tho thr||| ot
pursu|ng opportun|t|os that vory tow poop|o havo attomptod
botoro thom. An avorago studont doos wo|| |n a sc|onco
courso, a w|nn|ng studont gots |nvo|vod |n or|g|na| rosoarch.
An avorago studont sonds a |ottor to tho schoo| nowspapor,
a w|nn|ng studont wr|tos a rogu|ar co|umn. An avorago
studont wants to jo|n a c|ub, a w|nn|ng studont starts a
nat|ona| organ|zat|on. |t you want to atand out at coIIogo
you ahouId toator an attitudo ot anything ia
oaaibIo." And ono ot tho bost ways to dovo|op th|s
att|tudo |s to constant|y bo work|ng on a Grand lrojoct.'
1o bog|n w|th, rot|oct on your most hoartto|t asp|rat|ons.
lt you cou|d bo do|ng anyth|ng t|vo yoars trom now, what
wou|d |t bo? 1hon dos|gn and to||ow an amb|t|ous Grand
lrojoct that movos you toward your answor. |or oxamp|o, |t
you got oxc|tod about tho |doa ot wr|t|ng tor 7bo Now
Yorkor, you m|ght croato a Grand lrojoct to t|rst pub||sh a
sor|os ot |nto|||gont nont|ct|on p|ocos tor your schoo| papor,
thon a |oca| papor, thon a socond-t|or nat|ona| pub||cat|on
on your way to tho b|g t|mo. lt you droam ot scroonwr|t|ng |n
|o||ywood, you m|ght rosoarch a ||st ot ovory upcom|ng
studont-t||m-wr|t|ng contost, tack tho doad||nos on your wa||,
and work on t|n|sh|ng an or|g|na| scroonp|ay |n t|mo to bo
subm|ttod to a|| ot thom. Or, |t you aro mot|vatod by young
ontropronour succoss stor|os, you m|ght jot down a c|ovor
bus|noss |doa, croato a Wob s|to, and |aunch your vory own
dorm-room corporat|on.
Your Grand lrojoct shou|d cons|st ot a group ot
ach|ovab|o, nonacadom|c accomp||shmonts that, whon
comb|nod, movo you c|osor to an oxc|t|ng asp|rat|on. 1h|nk
b|g. 3o amb|t|ous. Whon you oxp|a|n a Grand lrojoct to
somoono |t shou|d o||c|t a rosponso ot Wow!' Work|ng on
such a projoct w||| koop you constant|y oxc|tod and
onorgot|c. lt w||| koop tho prossuros ot courso work |n
porspoct|vo, and mako |t oasy to brush as|do tho ||tt|o bad
occurroncos that pop up now and thon. Whon you work on a
h|gh|y amb|t|ous projoct, you too| |nv|nc|b|o, ||ko you aro a
stop ahoad ot tho rost ot tho wor|d, torg|ng un|quo paths to
groat succoss. lt doosn't mattor |t you don't a|ways
succood. 1ho novo|ty and thr||| ot tak|ng chancos |s a
powortu| torco.
1h|s may sound ||ko a bunch ot psychobabb|o, but |t you
actua||y try pursu|ng a Grand lrojoct, you w||| undorstand.
Whon you t|n|sh that scroonp|ay, soo your art|c|o |n pr|nt, or
roco|vo your t|rst chock as an ontropronour, tho sonsat|on |s
|ndoscr|bab|o. You just accomp||shod somoth|ng oxc|t|ng,
and you d|d so tor no othor roason than you just wantod to
soo |t |t was poss|b|o. Onco you accomp||sh ono Grand
lrojoct, anyth|ng sooms ach|ovab|o. 1h|s sonso ot
poss|b|||ty w||| tuo| your r|so to bocom|ng a standout.



Lo yoo koow tho d|ttoronco botwoon tho art|sts Vonot and
Vanot? Can you oxp|a|n what tho cosmo|og|ca| constant
|s? lt you answorod no' to thoso two quost|ons-or |t you
answorod yos' but woro roa||y just |y|ng to |mpross
somoono road|ng ovor your shou|dor-do yourso|t a tavor
a n d tako art hiatory and aatronomy botoro you
graduato. Ot a|| tho coursos you cou|d poss|b|y tako
outs|do ot your major, thoso two aro among tho most
|mportant.
ln tho caso ot art h|story, tako an |ntroductory courso that
covors tho Vodorn por|od. ln add|t|on to |oarn|ng tho
d|ttoronco botwoon Vanot and Vonot, study l|casso's
torma||st |nnovat|ons and bocomo tam|||ar w|th tho p|onoors
ot tho Concoptua| Art movomont. Contrary to popu|ar bo||ot,
art h|story |s surpr|s|ng|y d|tt|cu|t to |oarn on your own, and
tak|ng a courso at co||ogo may bo your |ast chanco to
bocomo cu|tura||y ||torato |n tho t|no arts. 1h|s |s a sk||| that
w||| sorvo you tor a ||tot|mo ot musoum v|s|ts and |ntormod
cockta|| party convorsat|on. Voro |mportant, |oarn|ng tho
contra| thoor|os boh|nd modorn art w||| g|vo you an ovorv|ow
ot tho gonora| dovo|opmont ot |nto||octua||sm |n tho
twont|oth contury. 1h|s may sound snooty, but |t's actua||y
qu|to |ntorost|ng, and |t's an |mportant top|c tor any studont
to |oarn. Undorstand|ng tho bas|c tonots ot modorn and
postmodorn th|nk|ng w||| prov|do you w|th tho |nto||octua|
ammo you nood to tack|o tho ont|ro mod|um ot tho modorn
t|no arts-trom pa|nt|ngs, to novo|s, to p|ays. And |t w||| a|so
g|vo you a po|nt ot rotoronco tor undorstand|ng modorn
ph||osophy and tho rad|ca| movomonts ot tho |ast contury.
1h|s |s an oasy way to mako sonso ot tho wor|d ot
contomporary thought and oxpross|on. 0on't m|ss tho
opportun|ty!
|or astronomy, tako an |ntroductory courso that covors
cosmo|ogy and tho un|vorso. Curront undorstand|ng ot tho
or|g|ns ot mattor, tho oxpand|ng cosmos, and tho shapo ot
spaco-t|mo aro porhaps somo ot tho most oxc|t|ng
sc|ont|t|c d|scovor|os ot a|| t|mo. |ortunato|y, whon taught |n
tho sty|o ot an |ntro courso, thoso thoor|os aro surpr|s|ng|y
oasy to undorstand and unavo|dab|y awo-|nsp|r|ng. ln
add|t|on to |oarn|ng about tho h|story ot our wor|d, you w|||
pa|n|oss|y ga|n an oasy tam|||ar|ty w|th tho sc|ont|t|c
mothod, wh|ch w||| sorvo you wo|| |n an |ncroas|ng|y
tochno|ogy-or|ontod ago.
ln add|t|on to what spoc|t|cs you |oarn |n thoso coursos,
you w||| bonot|t by tak|ng a r|sk and mov|ng boyond your
comtort zono whon choos|ng c|assos. 1h|s w||| tuo| your
|nto||octua| cur|os|ty and gonora| oxc|tomont tor know|odgo.
Whon you t|nd that you can tack|o both C|omont Groonborg
(tho groat modorn art cr|t|c) and 3tophon |awk|ng (tho
p|onoor|ng part|c|o phys|c|st) |n tho samo day, othor t|o|ds
ot study w||| soom moro approachab|o. 1h|s k|nd ot
cur|os|ty |s cruc|a| tor happ|noss and succoss |n any
acadom|c onv|ronmont. 1ako art h|story and astronomy,
and tako thom oar|y. Your co||og|ato oxpor|onco w||| bo
groat|y |mprovod.



lmogloo tbo o||owlog scono: Your protossor |s hand|ng
back a major rosoarch papor to your c|ass. 1ho groans that
bog|n to t||| tho room |nd|cato that tho protossor was
part|cu|ar|y domand|ng tor th|s ass|gnmont. And r|ght|y so,
|t's worth torty porcont ot your grado. As ho gots to your
namo, ho asks you to stay attor c|ass. Uh oh. lorvous|y you
wa|t as your c|assmatos t||o out, and whon you aro tho on|y
studont roma|n|ng |n tho |octuro ha||, ho wa|ks up to you . . .
and thon shakos your hand. Congratu|at|ons,' ho oxc|a|ms,
your projoct was by tar tho bost |n tho c|ass!'
3ound good? Wo||, got usod to |t. lt you want to succood
at co||ogo, try to put yourso|t |n th|s s|tuat|on, |n ono c|ass,
tor ono ass|gnmont, ovory somostor. 1ho advantagos ot
b|ow|ng tho curvo on an ass|gnmont aro obv|ous. lt w||| ho|p
your grado, tho protossor w||| romombor and support you
w|th groat rocommondat|ons and adv|co, and |t w||| just
p|a|n mako you too| good about yourso|t. What |s not so
obv|ous |s how oasy |t can bo to b|ow tho curvo on a rogu|ar
bas|s. 1ho koy |s to p|ck your spots. 1o do an outstand|ng
job on ovory ass|gnmont |n ovory c|ass you tako wou|d bo
noar |mposs|b|o. Vost ass|gnmonts aro not oas||y
dom|natod. And to turn hoads |n a c|ass that |s g|v|ng you
part|cu|ar troub|o, or doos not |ntorost you, |s d|tt|cu|t.
|owovor, |t's not so hard to do an outstand|ng job |n a c|ass
that you roa||y onjoy, on a projoct that oxc|tos you, ass|gnod
dur|ng a t|mo whoro you don't havo many compot|ng
ob||gat|ons.
W|th th|s |n m|nd, ovory somostor you shou|d chooso
ono c|ass that you ||ko, and w|th|n that c|ass chooso ono
|ntorost|ng projoct, and thon knock |t out ot tho ba||park. Got
startod vory oar|y, work d|||gont|y, go abovo and boyond tho
statod spoc|t|cat|ons, and add on oxtra work to show truo
|nto||octua| cur|os|ty. lt you aro wr|t|ng an art h|story papor,
don't just doscr|bo a work as tho ass|gnmont spoc|t|os.
lnstoad, comparo |t w|th anothor work and uso |t as support
tor tho ox|stonco ot an abstract thoorot|ca| structuro you
road about |n a nonass|gnod book. lt you aro work|ng on a
computor sc|onco programm|ng ass|gnmont, schodu|o
yourso|t to t|n|sh a wook oar|y so you can add a host ot
oxtra bo||s and wh|st|os. lt you havo a b|g oconom|cs oxam
com|ng up, doub|o tho amount ot t|mo you norma||y study
and a|m tor a noar-portoct scoro.
1o tocus on just ono projoct oach torm |s not a|| that
domand|ng on your t|mo or onorgy, ospoc|a||y |t you p|an
ahoad and chooso an appropr|ato targot. 1ho rowards tor
th|s ottort can bo tromondous.



Kooplog o|ort tbroogboot a |ong |octuro |s not a|ways oasy
to do. Espoc|a||y |t tho c|ass |s oar|y |n tho morn|ng, or ho|d
r|ght attor a hoarty |unch, and |t bog|ns to tako a|| ot your
ottort to stop your oyos trom droop|ng . . . droop|ng . . . ovor
c|osor to bo|ng . . . c|osod . . . 3lAl! And just ||ko that, tho
|octuro has s||ppod by w|thout you |oarn|ng anyth|ng othor
than how to c|oan droo| ott your notobook. lt you want to
succood at co||ogo, you havo to do whatovor you can to
provont th|s trom happon|ng to you. |ortunato|y, ono ot tho
most ottoct|vo ways to stay ongagod and |ntorostod dur|ng
a |octuro |s a|so vory oasy to do: Nako auro that you
aIwaya aak at Ioaat ono quoation at ovory Iocturo.
1ho n|ght botoro, whon you aro do|ng tho road|ng that
w||| bo covorod |n tho |octuro, jot down a qu|ck ||st ot
quost|ons that soom ro|ovant. 1hon, onco |n c|ass, to||ow
tho protossor's mator|a| carotu||y, mod|ty|ng and hon|ng
your quost|ons as appropr|ato. ||na||y, whon you too| you
havo a quost|on that |s moan|ngtu|, and w||| c|ar|ty an
|mportant po|nt ot tho d|scuss|on, ask away. 1ho koy |s to
stay |nvo|vod wh||o, at tho samo t|mo, not act|ng ||ko tho
obnox|ous k|d |n tho tront row who asks random quost|ons
ovory th|rty soconds or so.
1h|s approach not on|y ho|ps you c|ar|ty tho mator|a| and
ro|ntorco your undorstand|ng, |t a|so koops your attont|on
tocusod and onsuros that you stay a|ort. lt's a powortu|
tochn|quo tor ros|st|ng tho urgo to dr|tt ott |nto a borodom-
|ntusod stupor. Ono or two good quost|ons a c|ass |s
onough to koop tho protossor happy, but not onough to
so||c|t tho annoyanco ot your c|assmatos.
1ako tho t|mo to ask at |oast ono quost|on at ovory
|octuro. lt's s|mp|o, and |t w||| rodot|no your c|assroom
oxpor|onco tor tho bottor.



Loo't toko tbls tho wrong way, but co||ogo protossors havo
a ||to outs|do ot you and your c|assos. Wh||o most
protossors onjoy toach|ng undorgraduatos, tho|r
protoss|ona| ob||gat|ons go tar boyond tho c|assroom. 1ho
pr|mary rospons|b|||ty ot a protossor at any un|vors|ty or
rosoarch |nst|tut|on |s tho vaguo|y dot|nod goa| ot
advanc|ng know|odgo' |n tho|r t|o|d. And tho bu|k ot th|s
know|odgo advancomont takos p|aco |n tho torm ot or|g|na|
rosoarch and acadom|c pub||cat|on. 1o put |t s|mp|y:
Roaoarch ia whoro aII tho action ia. lt you roa||y want to
stand out at your co||ogo, you nood to bo |n tho m|dd|o ot
th|s act|on. You nood to bo |nvo|vod w|th tho mach|nory ot
or|g|na| rosoarch that |s go|ng on a|| around you. You nood
to tap |nto tho |ncrod|b|o opportun|t|os ottorod to you, tho
undorgraduato, to actua||y mako a d|ttoronco |n tho wor|d ot
acadom|a.
Why? ||rst ot a||, work|ng on roa| rosoarch |s ||ko
strongth tra|n|ng tor your |nto||oct. lt's cha||ong|ng,
on||ghton|ng, and roward|ng a|| at tho samo t|mo. Onco you
havo workod on wr|t|ng a poor-rov|owod journa| art|c|o, your
papor tor Govornmont 101 w||| soom tr|v|a|. 3ocond, |t's
|mpross|vo. logard|oss ot what you want to do attor
co||ogo, tho tact that you d|d or|g|na| rosoarch sonds a|| tho
r|ght mossagos-you'ro smart, you'ro dr|von, you'ro a cut
abovo tho rost. And th|rd, thoro |s no way to bocomo c|osor
to a protossor than to spond a wookond |n a b|o|ogy |ab
w|th h|m or hor. lt you mako yourso|t |nd|sponsab|o |n a
rosoarch sott|ng, tho protossor w||| roturn tho tavor |n tho
torm ot rocommondat|ons and support.
1|m|ng |s |mportant horo. lt you got |nvo|vod too |ato |n
your co||og|ato caroor, you may not havo onough t|mo to
mako an |mpact. 3pond your troshman yoar gott|ng a good
too| tor what t|o|ds you aro |ntorostod |n. 1oward tho ond ot
your |ast troshman somostor, bog|n to |nqu|ro about
rosoarch opportun|t|os. 3|mp|y go to tho ro|ovant
dopartmonta| Wob s|tos and road about ongo|ng rosoarch
projocts. E-ma|| thoso protossors whoso work |ntorosts
you. 1o|| thom you aro |ntorostod |n gott|ng moro
oxpor|onco |n tho acadom|c wor|d. Vont|on somo spoc|t|cs
ot tho|r part|cu|ar rosoarch projocts to |mpross thom, and
thon ask |t thoy aro |n nood ot an undorgraduato rosoarch
ass|stant. Evon |t thoy say no, thoy w||| probab|y bo ab|o to
po|nt you |n tho d|roct|on ot somoono who doos nood ho|p.
A|so, koop your oyos opon tor undorgraduato rosoarch
grants that m|ght bo ava||ab|o. 1hoso mako |t a |ot oas|or to
t|nd somoono who |s w||||ng to br|ng you on to tho|r projoct.
lt's as s|mp|o as that.
A common m|sconcopt|on among studonts |s that
rosoarch on|y happons |n sc|ont|t|c t|o|ds. 1h|s |s tar trom
truo. Eng||sh protossors pub||sh art|c|os |n acadom|c
journa|s just as rogu|ar|y as b|o|ogy protossors. Wh||o
work|ng w|th tho tormor m|ght |nvo|vo track|ng down
rotoroncos and copy|ng book chaptors, and tho |attor m|ght
tocus on sott|ng up |ab onv|ronmonts and ca|cu|at|ng
rosu|ts, tho bonot|ts ot work|ng on both typos ot projocts aro
tho samo. logard|oss ot your t|o|d, thoro |s a|ways somo
rosoarch w|th wh|ch you can ass|st.
Anothor m|sconcopt|on |s that rosoarch |s on|y
conductod at |argo un|vors|t|os. Wh||o |t's truo that b|g
rosoarch |nst|tut|ons tocus on rosoarch moro than sma||or
||bora| arts schoo|s, th|s doosn't moan that tho sma||or
schoo|s aron't st||| work|ng on projocts. ln tact, at a sma||
schoo| you havo tho advantago that thoro aro towor
undorgraduatos to ho|p w|th rosoarch, moan|ng that you w|||
most ||ko|y ond up w|th ovon moro |ntorost|ng opportun|t|os
trom wh|ch to chooso.
Gott|ng |nvo|vod w|th rosoarch oar|y |s ||ko dr|nk|ng an
o||x|r ot succoss. lt's ono ot tho most common|y ovor|ookod
and ottoct|vo socrots tor w|nn|ng at co||ogo. 0on't |ot th|s
opportun|ty pass you by.



l gottlog lovo|voo w|th or|g|na| rosoarch |s ono ot tho bost
th|ngs you can do as an undorgraduato, thon gott|ng
|nvo|vod and act|ng as |t you aro somohow ont|t|od to
rospons|b|||ty |s ono ot tho worst. 1ho roason you bog|n
rosoarch work oar|y |n your co||ogo caroor |s so you havo
t|mo to |oarn and t|mo to provo yourso|t. During your tirat
yoar aaaiating on a roaoarch ro[oct, you havo to ay
your duoa. 0on't oxpoct anyth|ng. 1ust bo as ho|ptu| as
poss|b|o. 3o ava||ab|o. Got work dono on t|mo. Vako ||to
oas|or tor your rosoarch toam.
Onco you havo a good too| tor tho projoct, you can bog|n
to modost|y boost your |nvo|vomont. 1ry us|ng tho phraso: lt
you th|nk l can hand|o th|s, l wou|d bo happy to ho|p.' ln th|s
way, you can ang|o tor moro rospons|b|||ty w|thout com|ng
across as brash. You w||| s|mp|y sound as |t you aro try|ng
to bo ho|ptu|, wh|ch you aro. Whon you aro g|von moro
|mportant work to comp|oto, troat oach ot thoso oar|y
ass|gnmonts as |t |t's your doctora| d|ssortat|on. Wow thoso
ovorsoo|ng your work w|th your d|||gonco and ab|||ty. lt you
do th|s, you w||| bo a dopartmonta| star by tho t|mo you
graduato. lt you |nstoad act ungratotu|, domand
rospons|b|||ty oar|y, and su|k whon do|ogatod bor|ng tasks,
you w||| upsot protossors and dovo|op a nogat|vo
roputat|on.
lt you pay your duos w|th graco and onthus|asm and aro
m|ndtu| ot tho opportun|ty you aro roco|v|ng, you w|||
max|m|zo tho many pos|t|vo bonot|ts ot part|c|pat|ng |n
or|g|na| rosoarch work.



Accorolog to coovootlooo| w|sdom on co||ogo campusos,
tho most ottoct|vo way to tack|o a |argo amount ot study|ng
|s to: (1) p||o a|| ot your books, notos, and rov|ow shoots |n
tront ot you, (2) study unt|| you co||apso, (8) awakon sovora|
hours |ator wondor|ng whoro you aro, (4) w|po tho droo| ott
your books w|th a damp, warm washc|oth, (b) consumo
|argo quant|t|os ot catto|no, (0) ropoat. Do not do thia
(oxcopt tor tho part about tho damp, warm washc|oth . . .
that roa||y |s tho bost way to c|oan up droo|). Whon you do
schoo|work, bo |t road|ng, tak|ng notos, work|ng on a |ab, or
momor|z|ng vorbs, try to do ovoryth|ng |n t|tty-m|nuto
chunks. 1ako ton-m|nuto broaks |n botwoon oach t|tty-
m|nuto chunk. 1h|s |s koy tor any succosstu| studont.
Why t|tty m|nutos? |or ono th|ng, thoro aro compo|||ng
sc|ont|t|c rat|ona|os. 1hoso who study cogn|t|on can draw
maps ot momory rotont|on ovor t|mo, and domonstrato how
por|ods ot rough|y t|tty m|nutos, d|v|dod by short broaks, w|||
max|m|zo tho amount ot mator|a| you can succosstu||y |oarn
and romombor |n a g|von s|tt|ng. 3ut just as |mportant,
broak|ng down a|| your work |nto d|st|nct, known por|ods ot
t|mo prov|dos structuro tor your study|ng. lt you havo t|vo
hours ot road|ng to do, that stack ot books |n tront ot you
can soom hopo|oss. |ow can you tocus on tho t|rst chaptor
whon thoro aro so many to to||ow? 3ut |t you on|y havo to
stay tocusod tor t|tty m|nutos at a t|mo, thon tho |mposs|b|o
suddon|y sooms poss|b|o. ||vo work chunks doosn't soom
so bad. You cou|d do throo botoro d|nnor and two attor, or
whatovor sooms oas|ost, and suddon|y your ass|gnmont |s
approachab|o. lot to mont|on that you aro |oarn|ng tho
mator|a| |n tho most ottoct|vo way poss|b|o tor tho human
bra|n.
ln gonora|, as d|scussod |n lu|o #7, 3u||d 3tudy
3ystoms, you novor want to approach any |argo amount ot
study|ng or road|ng or noto-tak|ng w|thout somo sort ot
structuro. Us|ng t|tty-m|nuto chunks |s a groat add|t|on to
any such structuro.



lroo tlmo ls both a b|oss|ng and a curso tor a succosstu|
co||ogo studont. On tho ono hand, most ot your tondost
momor|os w||| como trom hang|ng around w|th your tr|onds,
ta|k|ng, p|ay|ng v|doo gamos, and watch|ng |ndoc|phorab|o
1apanoso k|ds' shows on tho Cartoon lotwork (trust mo).
On tho othor hand, |t |s dangorous|y oasy to |oso too much
product|v|ty to tho a||uro ot rocroat|on. You wou|d bo
surpr|sod by how s|mp|o |t can bocomo to conv|nco yourso|t
to tako yot anothor b|g broak, ovon whon you know that you
havo a |ot ot work wa|t|ng to bo comp|otod. You cou|d a|so
t|nd yourso|t suttor|ng trom an ovon worso prob|om, wh|ch |s
too||ng gu||ty ovory t|mo you try to ro|ax, worry|ng that thoro
|s probab|y somo work you cou|d bo do|ng r|ght thon. You
don't want to doa| w|th o|thor ot thoso att||ct|ons.
|ortunato|y, thoro |s an unconvont|ona| yot s|mp|o way to
both avo|d thoso prob|oms and onsuro that you got tho
portoct amount ot rost and ro|axat|on: 5choduIo your troo
timo. Vost poop|o cons|dor troo t|mo to bo any t|mo whon
thoy aro not oxp||c|t|y work|ng. A|| you nood to do |s t||p th|s
undorstand|ng, and say that work t|mo |s any t|mo that you
aro not oxp||c|t|y ro|ax|ng. Whon you croato your schodu|o
oach morn|ng, you nood to do two th|ngs. ||rst, chooso an
ond po|nt tor tho day. |or oxamp|o, you m|ght say that ton
l.V. |s tho ond ot your workday, and trom that po|nt on you
w||| just ro|ax unt|| you go to s|oop. 3ocond, doc|do oxact|y
whon you aro go|ng to ro|ax throughout tho day. |or
oxamp|o, you m|ght doc|do that you w||| spond a ha|t hour
attor |unch watch|ng 1v, two hours |n tho attornoon to go to
tho gym and hang out w|th tr|onds, and an hour or two
surround|ng d|nnor to unw|nd. 1ho rost ot your t|mo you w|||
bo work|ng. As you movo through your day, thoro w||| novor
bo any quost|on as to whothor you shou|d bo ro|ax|ng.
E|thor you aro |n ono ot your schodu|od broak por|ods, or
you aro work|ng. lot on|y doos th|s cut down on |mpromptu
broaks, but |t can a|so |ncroaso your work oth|c-ovoryono
works hardor r|ght botoro a schodu|od ropr|ovo.
3y rovors|ng tho way you th|nk about troo t|mo, not on|y
w||| you work moro, but whon you do ro|ax, you w||| ro|ax
bottor. 1horo |s no toar that you aro bo|ng |rrospons|b|o, or
nog|oct|ng somoth|ng |mportant. 3chodu||ng your troo t|mo
may sound a ||tt|o scary at t|rst, but |t shou|dn't. You aro not
actua||y roduc|ng-or |ncroas|ng-tho amount ot troo t|mo
you havo dur|ng tho day, you aro just |abo||ng and
conso||dat|ng |t so you can max|m|zo tho bonot|ts ot k|ck|ng
back. 3chodu||ng your troo t|mo |s qu|to s|mp|y a w|n-w|n
propos|t|on, and a groat way to pa|n|oss|y |mprovo your
product|v|ty.



7rock poots, o s||ght|y sta|nod 1-sh|rt, t||p-t|ops, and a
basoba|| cap do not count as gott|ng drossod' |n tho
morn|ng. lor doos |t count |t you aro woar|ng any art|c|o ot
c|oth|ng that you s|opt |n tho n|ght botoro, or troquont|y woar
to tho gym. You shou|d a|ways tako tho t|mo to brush your
tooth, showor, tamo your ha|r, and put on a good-|ook|ng
outt|t ovory morn|ng botoro hoad|ng to c|ass. 1h|s doosn't
moan you must |ook as |t you just jottod |n trom V||an, but
on tho othor hand, you shou|dn't |ook ||ko you just got
ro|oasod trom a pr|son cha|n gang o|thor.
Why bothor dross|ng n|co|y tor c|ass? 1wo roasons.
Ono, |t makos you too| bottor about yourso|t. lt you |ook
good, you can |mag|no that cuto guy or d|mp|od g|r| |n tho
tront row shoot|ng somo g|ancos |n your d|roct|on. 1h|s w|||
mako you happy. And whon you aro happy, you havo moro
onorgy and pay attont|on bottor |n c|ass. 1wo, |t makos tho
day ott|c|a|. Whon you |ook ||ko you just ro||od out ot bod, |t's
a|| too oasy to |mag|no ro|||ng back |n. lt you dross n|co|y,
you aro sond|ng yourso|t tho mossago that you aro roady to
got startod and attack tho day.



7bls ro|o moy app|y moro to tho gont|omon than to tho
|ad|os, s|nco, tor whatovor roason, co||ogo-ago mon tond to
havo a notod dot|c|oncy whon |t comos to porsona||z|ng
tho|r ||v|ng spaco. Or to put |t anothor way: l havo soon
WWll-ora toxho|os w|th moro porsona||ty than somo guys'
dorm rooms. And just to bo c|oar on dot|n|t|ons, tho
to||ow|ng |toms don't count as |og|t|mato docorat|on: any
postor |nvo|v|ng tho mov|o Aolmo| looso, 1|m| |ondr|x,
3ob Var|oy, or W||| |orro||, any photograph|c portra|t
or|g|na||y pub||shod |n Voxlm, 5to, or 5ports l||ostrotoo,
any |tom that may, w|th a corta|n probab|||ty, havo spont a
hoa|thy chunk ot |ts prov|ous ox|stonco adorn|ng tho wa|| ot
a bar or ||quor storo.
Your room docor ahouId croato a aaco that ia both
comtortabIo and a hoaIthy rotIoction ot your
oraonaIity. 1h|s doosn't nocossar||y moan go|ng crazy
w|th tancy turn|turo, wa||s ot qu|rk||y tramod photographs,
shoots that match a coord|natod rug and curta|ns sot, or,
God torb|d, Chr|stmas ||ghts. 3ut |t doos moan mov|ng
boyond barron wa||s punctuatod on|y w|th tho occas|ona|
prod|ctab|o postor.
Why docorato? 3ocauso |t w||| havo a pos|t|vo ottoct on
your mood and onorgy. 1o wako up, go to s|oop, and tako
broaks throughout tho day |n a porsona||zod and
comtortab|o room |s rotrosh|ng. Go|ng to c|assos, study|ng
tor tosts, and wr|t|ng papors |s strosstu|, and hav|ng a
comtort|ng onv|ronmont to rotroat to |s a groat way to
ro|oaso tons|on. lot to mont|on that poop|o ||ko to hang out
|n comtortab|o p|acos. A wo||-dos|gnod studont pad w|||
attract moro v|s|tors, wh|ch w||| a|so ho|p your mood and
soc|a| ||to. lt your room |s just a stark|y ||t wh|to co||, you aro
novor go|ng to too| comp|oto|y ro|axod. And th|s moans tho
tons|ons that bu||d throughout tho day w||| novor comp|oto|y
bo ro|oasod. Ovor t|mo, th|s w||| sap your onorgy and
d|m|n|sh your portormanco as a studont. Your surround|ngs
roa||y do mako a d|ttoronco.
||nd somoth|ng that tru|y |ntorosts you and |ncorporato |t
|nto your spaco. Aro you a gu|tar p|ayor? Vount your gu|tars
on a wa||. Aro you a tan ot As|an art? 3uy throo mattod
b|ack tramos, put a pr|nt |n oach, and hang thom |n an
aosthot|ca||y p|oas|ng row abovo your dosk. Aro you a
mov|o butt? ||nd postors tor two or throo mov|os that you
th|nk aro part|cu|ar|y |nt|uont|a|. |ramo thom |n choap postor
tramos ot tho typo you can oas||y buy at Wa|-Vart. |ang
thom on a wa||, and mount a ||tt|o ||ght abovo or bo|ow oach.
Wh||o you aro at |t, t|nd an a|tornat|vo to tho t|uoroscont
||ghts |n your room. 1wo good t|oor |amps and a so||d dosk
|amp can t||| your room w|th a n|co |ncandoscont g|ow. lut a
rug on tho t|oor, as choap carpot or t||o |s dopross|ng whon
|ott uncovorod. And buy a p|oco ot turn|turo that makos you
happy. Vaybo t|nd a boat-up sota, or a usod armcha|r, or
anyth|ng comtortab|o that you can s|nk down |nto wh||o you
watch 1v or road a book.
1horo |s ot courso no nood to attack your ono-room
doub|o w|th a procr|m|na| Vartha 3towart-sty|o zoa|, but
tako tho t|mo to mako your spaco ro|ax|ng. 1hoso ||tt|o
touchos mako a d|ttoronco.



lor tbo soko ot argumont, |ot's just say that you nood
rough|y 1b hours to proparo tor a b|g oxam. 1hat doosn't
sound too bad. lt you wako up at n|no A.V. tho day botoro, |t
sooms ||ko you wou|d havo p|onty ot t|mo to proparo. 1ust to
bo suro, |ot's do somo qu|ck ca|cu|at|ons. On a typ|ca| day
wo m|ght uso 2 hours tor moa|s, 8 hours tor c|assos, 112
hours tor broaks, 2 hours tor tho gym, 112 hours tor
moot|ngs, and 212 hours tor othor homowork. low, w|th
th|s |n m|nd, |t wo start study|ng at n|no A.V. tho day botoro,
wo shou|d bo dono w|th our 1b hours by around . . . noon
tho noxt day! |mmm, maybo that doosn't work too wo||.
lt wo sproad our study|ng ovor two days, wo can now
t|n|sh our 1b hours by on|y hav|ng to stay up unt|| t|vo-th|rty
oach ot tho two morn|ngs. Aga|n, not that groat.
lt wo sproad our study|ng ovor throo days, wo w||| got to
s|oop by a much moro roasonab|o two-th|rty oach ot thoso
throo morn|ngs. Ugh. As you can soo, though 1b hours
doosn't soom too bad at t|rst, whon wo start to t|t th|s
a||ottod t|mo |nto an a|roady busy schodu|o, wo roa||zo just
how many days wo actua||y nood to proparo tor an oxam
w|thout sacr|t|c|ng cop|ous amounts ot s|oop and san|ty.
low, th|nk what wou|d happon |t wo had two oxams to
proparo tor? Or a papor to wr|to at tho samo t|mo? 1h|s
cou|d got ug|y.
1ho po|nt ot th|s dopross|ng ar|thmot|c |s to h|gh||ght tho
roa||ty ot propar|ng tor b|g oxams: You havo to atart
atudying woII in advanco. Your schodu|o |s bus|or than
you th|nk, and |t you |oavo a |argo chunk ot study|ng unt|| tho
|ast days botoro an oxam, you w||| bo torcod to sacr|t|co.
1o avo|d unnocossary pa|n, a good ru|o ot thumb |s to
bog|n study|ng two wooks |n advanco. low, botoro you
accuso mo ot bo|ng cort|t|ab|y |nsano, |ot mo mako th|s
c|oar: l do not moan that you shou|d start hard coro a||-day
study soss|ons tourtoon days botoro tho oxam (th|s book |s
about how to w|n at co||ogo, not how to bocomo tho wor|d's
b|ggost too|). lnstoad, l am suggost|ng that you conduct no
hard coro a||-day study soss|ons ovor aga|n. 3roak up
thoso t|ttoon hours ot study|ng |nto many pa|n|oss ono- or
two-hour chunks, and you'|| dom|nato tho oxam w|thout any
hoadachos. Ot courso, tho on|y way tor th|s to work |s to
sproad out a|| thoso harm|oss ||tt|o chunks ovor a |ongor
por|od ot t|mo. |onco tho two wooks.
|or tho t|rst wook, just put |n an hour or so ot work on
most days. 3u||d your study systom to a||ow tor many sma||
chunks ot work, mako tho mator|a| tam|||ar, and got a good
too| tor tho |ntormat|on. 1ack on a coup|o oxtra hours ot
study|ng ovor tho wookond, and you'|| a|roady havo ton
hours ot rov|ow undor your bo|t w|th sovon days to sparo
w|thout hav|ng to work moro than an hour or two at a t|mo.
As you como |nto tho wook botoro tho oxam, koop study|ng
just an hour or so a day, rack|ng up your rov|ow hours and
mov|ng through your study systom s|ow|y but stoad||y. And
thon, dur|ng tho t|na| two days botoro tho oxam, put |n
|ongor throo-hour soss|ons to roa||y comont tho now vory
tam|||ar mator|a| |nto your m|nd. 3y tho t|mo your pon h|ts
papor on tho b|g day you w||| bo untouchab|o! 1ho oxam
won't stand a chanco. And bost ot a||, you got proparod w|th
no |ato n|ghts, no a||-day study gr|nds, and no catto|no-
|nducod ha||uc|nat|ons that your art h|story toxtbook |s try|ng
to po|son you.
3tudy|ng two wooks |n advanco may sound crazy at t|rst.
3ut onco you roa||zo that you aro just sproad|ng tho
nocossary work out ovor t|mo, not |ncroas|ng tho tota|
amount ot work you do, you shou|d como to undorstand that
th|s approach |s a pa|n|oss and h|gh|y ottoct|vo mothod tor
tost proparat|on. lt you toar that you |ack tho w|||powor to got
startod so oar|y, l cha||ongo you to try th|s approach just
onco. 0o |t tor a tost oar|y |n tho torm whon you don't too| so
ovorwho|mod by othor ob||gat|ons. Attor you havo
oxpor|oncod tho joy ot dom|nat|ng a tost w|thout any hard
work, l guarantoo you w||| bo convortod.



Yoor oombor-ooo most |mportant sk||| as a co||ogo studont
|s wr|t|ng ab|||ty. Your socond most |mportant sk||| as a
co||ogo studont |s wr|t|ng ab|||ty. Your th|rd most |mportant
sk||| as a co||ogo studont |s, you guossod |t, wr|t|ng ab|||ty.
And so on.
You probab|y got tho po|nt horo: Writing ia roaIIy, roaIIy
imortant tor a coIIogo atudont. You w||| succood
acadom|ca||y on|y |t you havo tho ab|||ty to oxpross your
thoughts c|oar|y and conv|nc|ng|y. 1h|s moans that |t you
want to w|n at co||ogo, you nood to bo good at wr|t|ng.
Roo||y good at wr|t|ng.
A good ana|ogy |s that wr|t|ng |s to a co||ogo studont
what shoot|ng hoops |s to a baskotba|| p|ayor. lt you want to
bo a standout baskotba|| p|ayor, you st|ck around attor
pract|co and shoot oxtra baskots. lt you want to bo a
standout co||ogo studont, you havo to st|ck around attor you
aro dono w|th your ass|gnmonts and do somo oxtra wr|t|ng.
You can accomp||sh th|s by jo|n|ng tho statt ot a pub||cat|on
on campus. lt cou|d bo tho da||y nowspapor, a wr|t|ng
magaz|no, a sc|onco journa|, a po||t|ca| papor, or a humor
rag. lt doosn't mattor what pub||cat|on you chooso as |ong
as |t roqu|ros you to wr|to wo|| and wr|to otton. You can a|so
wr|to guost op|n|on p|ocos, ottor to tack|o proposa| wr|t|ng
tor c|ubs you aro |nvo|vod w|th, or sond wo||-crattod |ottors
to |oca| po||t|c|ans and nowspapors. lt you aro croat|vo, you
can wr|to short stor|os, tack|o scroonp|ays, or cratt rov|ows
tor tho arts soct|on ot a studont papor. 1ho spoc|t|c tormat
|sn't |mportant, just as |ong as you aro wr|t|ng. 1ho moro
words you transtor trom your hoad to papor, tho bottor you
w||| bocomo at th|s v|ta| cratt.
Adopt tho m|nd-sot ot larry 3|rd. lt d|dn't mattor |t ho
was happy or sad, onorg|zod or t|rod, ovory day ho wou|d
shoot hundrods ot baskots. You shou|d do tho samo. |orco
yourso|t to wr|to as much as poss|b|o. lt |s an ossont|a|,
|rrop|acoab|o sk||| tor succood|ng at co||ogo. Vastor |t.



At co||ogo, moo|s tond to bo ||ko an organ|zat|ona| b|ack
ho|o-thoy unoxpoctod|y suck hours ot troo t|mo out ot your
day. 3y tho t|mo you gathor a group ot tr|onds, t|nd a tab|o
at a d|n|ng ha||, oat a moa|, shoot tho broozo, t|na||y broak
away trom tho group, and robu||d your tocus onough to got
back to work, your s|mp|o moa| has transtormod |nto a
major t|mo comm|tmont. 0on't got tho wrong |doa, taking
tho timo to oat a aociaI moaI with your trionda ia a
groat idoa, [uat don't do it moro than onco a day.
Eat broaktast |n your dorm room, or grab a qu|ck b|to on
tho way to your t|rst c|ass. Vorn|ngs aro pa|ntu|, so you aro
not m|ss|ng much |n torms ot company. lt you havo a busy
n|ght ahoad ot you, arrango to oat |unch w|th your tr|onds.
1hon, |ator, you can got your d|nnor to go and oat |t |n your
dorm room, baro|y |ntorrupt|ng your work cyc|o. lt you'ro
tac|ng a busy attornoon and an oasy n|ght, thon arrango to
moot your tr|onds tor d|nnor. Eat a qu|ck |unch a|ono |n tho
d|n|ng ha|| ovor a nowspapor botwoon tasks on your da||y
schodu|o.
|roquont, |ong moa|s aro a schodu|o spo||or tor
succosstu| studonts. 1h|s ru|o |s s|mp|o, but |t w||| koop you
both ott|c|ont and soc|a|.



Co||ogo moy bo tho bost tour yoars ot your ||to. 3ut |t w|||
probab|y bo somo ot tho most |ntonso as wo||. 1h|nk about
|t. You aro thrown |nto a c|oso-kn|t wor|d whoro you havo no
porsona| spaco, you aro ||v|ng w|th strangors, your m|nd |s
bo|ng cha||ongod moro than ovor botoro, you havo to torm
an ont|ro soc|a| |dont|ty trom scratch, and tor tho t|rst t|mo
thoro |s no ono prov|d|ng you w|th any d|roct gu|danco on
how to ||vo your ||to. And that's just tho t|rst wook! 1hrow |n
tho strossos ot oxam por|ods, studont compot|t|on, and
ro|at|onsh|ps, and somo wou|d say that tho prossuros ot
go|ng to co||ogo bocomo a |ot ||ko tho prossuros ot go|ng to
war-that |s, |t wars woro sponsorod by 1. Crow. 3ut don't
pan|c. 1ho koy to surv|v|ng th|s omot|ona| ro||or coastor |s
savor|ng tho h|ghs (ot wh|ch thoro aro many) and avo|d|ng
tho |ows (wh|ch, s|nco you'ro road|ng th|s book, w|||
hopotu||y bo tow and tar botwoon). And ono succosstu|
tochn|quo tor koop|ng yourso|t ba|ancod and happy dur|ng
tho tough t|mos at co||ogo |s to t|nd an oscapo.
lrotorab|y, your oscapo shou|d bo a p|aco or act|v|ty that
|s tar romovod trom your typ|ca| ||to as a co||ogo studont.
You nood to [ournoy to a Iaco whoro you wiII bo cut
ott trom ovoryday atudont Iito, a p|aco that prov|dos you
w|th a chanco to ro|ax and roga|n your sonso ot |dont|ty.
1ho 3tudont Un|on doosn't count. Your dorm 1v |oungo
doosn't count. Your tr|ond's room down tho ha|| corta|n|y
doosn't count. 1o m|squoto a onco tamous ||no: You nood
to got tho ho|| out ot 0odgo. Go|ng to 3arnos 8 lob|o,
grabb|ng a stack ot books, and road|ng thom ovor a cup ot
gourmot cottoo |s a good oxamp|o ot a groat oscapo. 3o |s
tak|ng a |ong dr|vo |n tho country, or go|ng tor a |ong jog at
an ott-campus park. 3chodu|o an oscapo tor yourso|t ovory
s|ng|o wook. And do |t a|ono. 1roat |t ||ko tak|ng mod|c|no.
Co||ogo on|y bocomos ovorwho|m|ng whon you |ot |t
consumo your ont|ro ||to. lt you mako a po|nt to rogu|ar|y
oscapo trom tho wor|d ot roommatos, tosts, |ato papors,
and part|os, your co||og|ato strossos can bo kopt |n chock.
Escapo wo||, and oscapo otton, you'|| bo surpr|sod at how
oasy |t can bo to nav|gato tho omot|ona| ups and downs ot
co||ogo ||to.



loro ls o s|mp|o ru|o tor choos|ng coursos oar|y on |n your
co||og|ato caroor: No moro than haIt ot your achoduIod
couraoa ahouId incIudo tho word in tho titIo (and
abso|uto|y nono shou|d |nc|udo tho phraso or oo ooo
prolt). lntroductory coursos aro a groat way to bocomo
broad|y tam|||ar w|th an untam|||ar subjoct. 1h|s |s ospoc|a||y
truo tor t|o|ds ||ko art h|story or po||t|ca| sc|onco, whoro
thoro |s a bas|c body ot know|odgo you nood to rocogn|zo
botoro study|ng any ono top|c |n moro dota||. |owovor, tho
prob|om w|th |ntro coursos |s that thoy otton boar vory ||tt|o
rosomb|anco to what othor coursos |n that major w|||
actua||y bo ||ko.
lt you aro |ntorostod |n potont|a||y major|ng |n a part|cu|ar
subjoct, you nood to start tak|ng h|ghor-|ovo| coursos as
soon as poss|b|o. 1h|s |s tho on|y way to got tho oxposuro
nocossary to mako tho r|ght doc|s|ons about your stud|os. lt
a|so roducos your tuturo courso burdon as you try to tu|t||| a||
tho major roqu|romonts. And, |n gonora|, tak|ng hard
coursos oar|y on w||| ho|p spood up your dovo|opmont ot
cruc|a| co||og|ato sk|||s-a torr|t|c advantago tor any
amb|t|ous studont.
0on't worry about h|ghor-|ovo| coursos bo|ng too d|tt|cu|t
tor you. 1ho koy |s to sook out c|assos that w||| bo
cha||ong|ng but don't roqu|ro you to possoss a vast amount
ot pr|or know|odgo. lay carotu| attont|on to any spoc|t|od
roqu|romonts. lt thoro aro no roqu|romonts, or on|y
rocommondod' roqu|romonts, thon you shou|d bo okay
tak|ng tho courso ovon as a troshman. lt you'ro st||| |n doubt
about tho ro|at|vo d|tt|cu|ty, o-ma|| tho protossor. 3r|ot|y
oxp|a|n your background, that you aro vory |ntorostod |n tho
subjoct mattor, and that you wou|d ||ko to got h|s or hor
op|n|on as to whothor tho work|oad w||| bo managoab|o.
lntro coursos aro usotu| |n modorat|on, but |n abundanco
thoy can stunt your growth as a studont and |oavo you
too||ng borod and un|nsp|rod by an othorw|so |ntorost|ng
subjoct. 1ako that uppor-|ovo| courso! 1ho soonor you
|mmorso yourso|t |n sor|ous co||og|ato study tho moro you
w||| got out ot your oxpor|onco. As ono succosstu| studont
put |t: Why wasto your t|mo and monoy |n tho m|nor
|oaguos ot co||ogo coursos whon you havo tho ab|||ty to bo
sw|ng|ng |n tho majors.'



l tboro wos an ott|c|a| rank|ng ot tho abso|uto worst p|acos
to study, your dorm room wou|d probab|y ta|| somowhoro
botwoon tho low 1orsoy 1urnp|ko and a Vota|||ca concort.
3tudy|ng |n your dorm room has on|y ono advantago go|ng
tor |t: convon|onco. Untortunato|y, th|s doosn't count tor
much, as study|ng |s not supposod to bo convon|ont, |t's
supposod to bo ottoct|vo. And tho most ottoct|vo p|aco to
study |s an onv|ronmont that |nsp|ros you to th|nk
|nto|||gont|y, an onv|ronmont w|thout any unnocossary
d|stract|ons or tomptat|ons tor d|stract|on. Or, to put |t moro
p|a|n|y, 51uDY A1 1EE L|BRARYI
ln tho 1on Commandmonts tor gott|ng good grados,
7boo sbo|| oot stooy lo tby room |s commandmont ono
through t|vo, |t's that |mportant. 1ako a momont to rot|oct on
your dorm room: |t's crowdod, poop|o aro com|ng and
go|ng, ovory poss|b|o d|stract|on trom 1v to tood to v|doo
gamos to AOl lnstant Vossongor aro w|th|n oasy roach,
tho bu||d|ng |s no|sy, you aro surroundod by tr|onds. lt you
want to bo product|vo you havo to oscapo trom th|s
onv|ronmont.
3ot as|do a |argo b|ock ot t|mo ovory day to spond
study|ng at tho ||brary. Vako |t tho p|aco whoro you
accomp||sh your most domand|ng schoo|work. 3ocauso |t's
|nconvon|ont to wa|k to tho ||brary and sott|o |nto a study
spot, you w||| bo |oss ||ko|y to |oavo on a wh|m. 3ocauso tho
||brary onv|ronmont |s qu|ot w|thout many d|stract|ons, you
w||| havo an oas|or t|mo concontrat|ng, and thus got moro
qua||ty work dono tastor. And bocauso tho ||brary surrounds
you w|th row attor row ot so|omn acadom|c tomos and
d|||gont|y study|ng studonts, |t w||| bo oas|or tor you to got
|nto that h|gh-poworod, |nto||octua| zono.
l|brar|os woro dos|gnod to max|m|zo your acadom|c
product|v|ty. 0orm rooms soom to bo dos|gnod to m|n|m|zo
|t. 3uccosstu| studonts rocogn|zo that |t's not onough to just
got through your schoo|work, you a|so havo to g|vo yourso|t
ovory opportun|ty to do tho work ottoct|vo|y. And bos|dos,
tho moro ott|c|ont|y you comp|oto your ass|gnmonts, tho
moro gu||t-troo t|mo you can spond add|ng to tho
ontorta|n|ng chaos that |s your dorm ||to. Whon |t comos
t|mo to study, go whoro |t counts.



As |oog os wo aro try|ng to tako a|| tho tun out ot study|ng,
horo |s anothor stab to tho hoart: Don't atudy in groua.
At t|rst g|anco, mu|t|porson study soss|ons soom to havo a
|ot ot advantagos: thoy aro soc|a|, thoy ho|d you
accountab|o tor |oarn|ng mator|a|, thoy roduco tho amount
ot mator|a| you havo to study on your own, and thoy prov|do
a satoty not ot poop|o to ho|p you undorstand d|tt|cu|t
top|cs. Untortunato|y, study groups a|so tond to havo a
rathor major str|ko aga|nst thom. 1hoy don't work!
1ho bost way to |oarn d|tt|cu|t mator|a| |s to go ovor |t by
yourso|t, w|th a |ot ot concontrat|on, aga|n and aga|n and
aga|n unt|| tho concopts bocomo socond naturo. 1horo |s
no subst|tuto tor th|s typo ot |oarn|ng. As bor|ng or daunt|ng
as |t may soom, you roa||y do nood to s|t at your qu|ot dosk
|n tho ||brary and absorb tho mator|a| |n a|| |ts dota||. A
mombor ot a study group brooz||y oxp|a|n|ng tho top|cs to
you |s not tho samo th|ng. ln tact, |oarn|ng' a concopt trom
a group mombor |s tho study oqu|va|ont ot try|ng to spood-
road a book. You m|ght got tho g|st ot |t, but you won't
romombor or undorstand tho spoc|t|cs. 3pond|ng t|mo w|th
tho mator|a| by yourso|t, unt|| you tu||y undorstand |t, w|||
a|ways bo moro ottoct|vo than hav|ng somoono o|so
paraphraso |t tor you. And whon |t comos to ott|c|oncy, |ot's
not ovon got startod on tho obscono amount ot study-group
t|mo that |s |nov|tab|y sacr|t|cod to tho gods ot goss|p.
1h|s doosn't moan that you must bo comp|oto|y |so|atod
whon you study. On tho contrary, whon you want to tost your
undorstand|ng ot a concopt, or aro hav|ng troub|o w|th a
part|cu|ar prob|om, |ntoract|ng w|th othor poop|o |s vory
ho|ptu|. 1ho koy, howovor, |s to sook out somoono tor
spoc|t|c ho|p on a spoc|t|c |ssuo, thon roturn to your so|o
work. lnstoad ot organ|z|ng a study group, arrango tor somo
c|assmatos to study at tho ||brary at tho samo t|mo as you,
so thoy w||| bo ava||ab|o to prov|do tocusod ho|p as |ssuos
ar|so.
1h|s |s how top studonts tamo d|tt|cu|t mator|a|. loavo
group study|ng to o|omontary schoo| k|ds and |aw studonts
-tho truth |s that undorgraduatos |oarn bost through a ||tt|o
|ono|y concontrat|on.



7bls ro|o ls a ||tt|o comp||catod bocauso tho dot|n|t|on ot an
honors program' d|ttors trom schoo| to schoo|. At somo
co||ogos you aro accoptod |nto an honors program botoro
you ovor sot toot on campus, and you spond your ont|ro
co||og|ato caroor ||v|ng w|th and tak|ng coursos on|y w|th
honors studonts. At othor co||ogos tho program doscr|bos a
track ot spoc|a| coursos you tako |n add|t|on to your norma|
coursos. And at st||| othor co||ogos |t's just a t|t|o bostowod
upon you |t you got good grados and attond somo spoc|a|
som|nars your son|or yoar. RogardIoaa ot tho aocitica
at your achooI, it thoro ia any oaaibIo oortunity to
[oin an honora rogram, go tor itI 1hoso programs
gonora||y roprosont a s||ght|y bottor vors|on ot your co||ogo.
1ho c|assos aro sma||or, tho protossors moro |ntorostod,
tho studonts moro |nsp|r|ng. 1o put |t b|unt|y, an honors
program w||| prov|do you w|th a bottor oducat|on than a
rogu|ar acadom|c program. You w||| bo cha||ongod moro,
you w||| |oarn moro, and you w||| tu|t||| moro ot your potont|a|
as a studont. ln add|t|on, hav|ng an honors dos|gnat|on on
your d|p|oma w||| go a |ong way whon |ook|ng tor
postgraduat|on opportun|t|os.
Why wou|d anyono not tako advantago ot th|s
opportun|ty? 1ho b|ggost t|aw ot honors programs |s that
thoy tond to scaro studonts away. l don't th|nk l'm smart
onough' |s a typ|ca| oxcuso tor not jo|n|ng an advancod
program. 1h|s |s nonsonso. 3uro, tho c|assos may roqu|ro
a ||tt|o moro work, but thoy a|so prov|do a bottor c|assroom
onv|ronmont, moro attont|on trom tho protossor, and
smartor poors, so tho oxtra work |s not nocossar||y hardor
to comp|oto. And ovon |t you do havo to study a ||tt|o b|t
moro than somo ot your tr|onds, who caros!?
As |ong as you aro pay|ng so much monoy to attond
co||ogo, you m|ght as wo|| max|m|zo what you got out ot
your |nvostmont. lt you can got |nto an honors program, do
so. lo oxcusos.



Bolog o co||ogo studont |s a |ot ||ko bo|ng a protoss|ona|
go|tor. As anyono who to||ows tho gamo w||| to|| you, go|t |s
a|| about stroaks. logard|oss ot how good a p|ayor |s, ho or
sho w||| st||| havo good stroaks and bad stroaks. lt thoy aro
|n tho zono, ovory shot t||os r|ght whoro thoy want |t. lt thoy
ta|| |nto a s|ump, ovory shot sooms to havo a porsona|
vondotta aga|nst thom. Co||ogo |s surpr|s|ng|y s|m||ar. You
w||| go days whoro your concontrat|on |s unbroakab|o. You
w||| bo gott|ng your work dono ott|c|ont|y and ottoct|vo|y. You
w||| bo ahoad ot schodu|o, on top ot your ob||gat|ons, and
too||ng good about yourso|t. 1hon you w||| h|t a bad stroak.
0ays w||| pass whon you baro|y crack a book. You w||| too|
t|rod, borod, and un|nsp|rod.
Ono ot tho koys to succood|ng at co||ogo |s provont|ng
thoso s|umps trom happon|ng. And thanktu||y, un||ko |n go|t,
th|s goa| |s actua||y oasy to ach|ovo. 1ho koy |s cons|stoncy.
3tudont s|umps occur whon you tako a |ong broak trom
work and thon t|nd yourso|t unab|o to oas||y pu|| yourso|t
back |nto a work|ng rhythm. ln ordor to dony tho opportun|ty
tor th|s to occur, you ahouId do aomo amount ot
achooIwork ovory aingIo day. 1h|s doosn't moan g|v|ng
up your wookond soc|a| p|ans and bocom|ng an
|ntorm|nab|o gr|nd. lt doosn't mattor how much schoo|work
you comp|oto, just as |ong as you do somoth|ng ovory day
you w||| havo a much oas|or t|mo stay|ng |n tho zono. 0o an
hour ot work r|ght attor c|assos on |r|day so you havo
somoth|ng to too| good about. 0on't stay |n on 3aturday
n|ght, but do try to knock ott an ass|gnmont or two |n tho
attornoon whon ovoryono o|so |s st||| on|y som|consc|ous.
3unday |s a workday, you'|| just havo to got ovor |t. And
thoro aro tow good roasons tor tak|ng a wookday ott.
Whon you comp|oto schoo|work, you too| mot|vatod.
Whon you comp|oto schoo|work ovory s|ng|o day, you w|||
too| mot|vatod ovory s|ng|o day. 3y dony|ng yourso|t |ong
broaks trom study|ng, you dony yourso|t tho chanco to ta||
|nto a nonwork|ng s|ump trom wh|ch |t can bo hard to
oscapo. A cons|stont da||y comm|tmont to schoo|work w|||
croato a powortu| cyc|o ot ro|ntorcomont and product|v|ty, a
cyc|o wh|ch w||| onsuro that you roma|n tho 1|gor Woods ot
acadom|c ach|ovomont.



Co||ogos ottroct lotorostlog v|s|tors. |amous acadom|cs,
po||t|c|ans, po||cymakors, and authors aro a|ways tra|ps|ng
through campusos around tho country. And most
ovorywhoro thoy stop, thoy tako tho t|mo to g|vo a guost
|octuro. You ahouId try to attond at Ioaat two guoat
Iocturoa ovory month. You m|ght th|nk thoso ta|ks w||| bo
bor|ng, and somo ot thom aro (o.g., 1ho d|m|n|sh|ng rad||
ot pop|ar sap||ngs |n tho doc|duous torosts ot
lonnsy|van|a'). 3ut a |ot ot guost |octuros aro not on|y not
bor|ng, thoy aro downr|ght |nsp|r|ng. lt you aro an art h|story
major and you tako tho t|mo to soo a smart, cutt|ng-odgo
h|stor|an spoak, you w||| too| |nsp|rod by tho thought ot
oxco|||ng |n your t|o|d. lt you aro |ntorostod |n govornmont
and you go to watch a po||t|ca| cand|dato or po||cymakor
ho|d court, you w||| wa|k away onorg|zod about tho
poss|b|||ty ot a tuturo |n po||t|cs. lt you aro an asp|r|ng wr|tor,
and you hoar a succosstu| author doscr|bo hor paths to
succoss, you w||| bo mot|vatod to rush homo and t|ro up
your word procossor.
1h|s |s why you shou|d mako a concortod ottort to attond
guost |octuros on a rogu|ar bas|s. You'ro not do|ng |t to
|oarn moro, or to |mpross your protossors (though |t doos
|mpross thom), or to ovorcomo |nsomn|a. You do |t to |gn|to
somo pass|on w|th|n yourso|t. You attond to rom|nd yourso|t
ot whoro your hard work |s tak|ng you. You attond to got so
oxc|tod about a top|c and your potont|a| that you ond up
hav|ng a hard t|mo ta|||ng as|oop that n|ght. Gott|ng t|rod up,
onco or tw|co a month about subjocts that |ntorost you, w|||
go a |ong to way to ho|p|ng you succood. Go to guost
|octuros and koop your |nto||octua| t|ros stokod.



Exorclslog bos oo a|most mag|ca| ottoct on studonts. 1ho
boost |n phys|ca| onorgy and monta| mot|vat|on that rosu|ts
trom a qu|ck, hard workout |s bottor than any catto|no h|gh.
And ovoryono too|s good about thomso|vos whon thoy
como out ot tho gym too||ng honod and r|ppod. 1ho
prob|om horo, howovor, |s that mot|vat|ng a co||ogo studont
to oxorc|so rogu|ar|y |s about as oasy as so|||ng a l |ovo
lY!' 1-sh|rt to a lod 3ox tan. Wh|ch |s to say, |t's hard. 3ut
th|s doosn't moan you shou|d g|vo up.
What's tho so|ut|on? 3top try|ng to conv|nco yourso|t.
Don't Iot tho dociaion to oxorciao bocomo a dobatabIo
quoation. lnstoad, mako |t a hab|t, ||ko go|ng to c|ass or
brush|ng your tooth. On Vondays, Wodnosdays, and
|r|days a|ways h|t tho gym. 0o |t at tho oxact samo t|mo, tor
tho oxact samo durat|on. lt you aro oxorc|s|ng tor onorgy
and hoa|th (as opposod to a dos|ro to dovo|op grapotru|t-
s|zo b|cops), you shou|d croato a tast rout|no. Uso on|y a
ono-hour burst ot act|v|ty |n wh|ch to got to tho gym, work
out, and roturn to your dorm room. Ou|ck rout|nos aro moro
t|mo ott|c|ont and thus oas|or to schodu|o cons|stont|y. lt
poss|b|o, p|an your rout|no to tako p|aco oar|y |n tho
attornoon or morn|ng whon you aro |oss ||ko|y to bo
d|stractod by othor comm|tmonts. Vako th|s nonnogot|ab|o.
lt you aro us|ng tho gym on Vondays, Wodnosdays, and
|r|days, thon sot as|do t|mo on 1uosdays and 1hursdays to
do somo card|o. On 3aturday and 3unday, |t you havo tho
t|mo and onorgy, do a supp|omontary ||ght workout.
|owovor, tak|ng thoso two days ott |s oxcusab|o, just
romombor to koop thoso schoo|-wook workouts
nonnogot|ab|o.
3y mak|ng your workouts tast, and do|ng thom at tho
samo t|mo ovory day, you'|| ond your nood to w|n a monta|
dobato ovory t|mo you th|nk you shou|d oxorc|so. Consorvo
your w|||powor tor moro |mportant batt|os, ||ko unp|ugg|ng
your cab|o whon tho |ood lotwork's a||-day lroo Cbo
marathon comos on dur|ng road|ng por|od. Koop yourso|t
act|vo and you w||| koop yourso|t succosstu|.



Co||ogo ls oxcltlog. Co||ogo |s busy. 3ut most ot a||, co||ogo
|s a domand|ng m|stross that can suck you who|ohoartod|y
|nto |ts |so|atod womb, cutt|ng you ott trom a|| that onco
dot|nod your ||to botoro you crossod |ts |vy-covorod
throsho|d. Wh|ch |s a|| just an adjoct|vo-r|ch way ot say|ng:
5tay in touch with your trionda trom back homo.
lt can bo surpr|s|ng|y oasy to |oso touch w|th tho
|mportant poop|o |n your ||to. Co||ogo |s so soc|a||y,
monta||y, and phys|ca||y consum|ng that |t you don't mako a
spoc|t|c ottort to koop |n touch, you w||| |oso your connoct|on
to your back-homo buds. Why |s |t |mportant that you koop
thoso o|d tr|ondsh|ps a||vo? 3ocauso your o|d tr|onds know
you bottor than your co||ogo tr|onds. Whon you go through
rough t|mos, a phono ca|| to a tr|ond trom homo w||| p|ck
you back up. You w||| novor too| |ono|y. Your sonso ot
porsona| |dont|ty w||| roma|n strong. And most |mportant, |t
you |oso contact w|th your tr|onds, you w||| havo noth|ng to
do whon you go homo tor tho ho||days.
1o succosstu||y stay |n touch w|th somoono moans that
you must ta|k w|th h|m or hor at |oast onco a month. And,
th|s |s |mportant, AOl lnstant Vossongor doos not count.
lor doos torward|ng your tr|ond a ||nk to an untorg|vab|y
stup|d an|mat|on you tound on tho lntornot. You nood to
actua||y ca|| on a phono and havo vo|co-to-vo|co contact.
1a|k|ng to tour or t|vo ot your c|osost tr|onds, just onco a
month, |s no b|g doa| |n torms ot t|mo comm|tmont. 3ut tho
bonot|t |n torms ot strongthon|ng your ro|at|onsh|ps |s groat.
You novor roa||zo how |mportant your back-homo
tr|ondsh|ps aro unt|| you bog|n to |oso thom. 3tay |n touch.



7ock oo oo oxtro mojor or mloor! Aro yoo kloolog mo! l
ooo't bovo tbot sort o tlmo! 1ork! 1hoso aro common
roact|ons to th|s uncommon roquost. 1ack|ng on an oxtra
major or m|nor |s a good th|ng tor obv|ous roasons. You w|||
como away trom co||ogo w|th |n-dopth know|odgo ot moro
than ono t|o|d. lt w||| ho|p you tocus dur|ng your
undorgraduato yoars. And most |mportant, |t |ooks damn
|mpross|vo whon |ook|ng tor a job, app|y|ng to graduato
schoo|, or w|nn|ng awards and scho|arsh|ps. And a|though
many poop|o porco|vo add|ng an oxtra major or m|nor to bo
a hugo t|mo dra|n, tho good nows |s: th|s |s s|mp|y not truo.
Add|ng anothor aroa ot concontrat|on doosn't moan you
havo to tako any moro coursos than you norma||y wou|d.
lot's say that you havo ono major, and |n a typ|ca| torm you
tako t|vo coursos: two tor your major, and throo random
o|oct|vo coursos. lt you tackod on anothor m|nor, guoss
what, |n a typ|ca| torm you aro st||| on|y tak|ng t|vo coursos.
Excopt now you aro just swapp|ng ono ot your o|oct|vos tor
a m|nor courso. lt's no b|g doa|! 1horo |s no roa| d|ttoronco
a m|nor courso. lt's no b|g doa|! 1horo |s no roa| d|ttoronco
botwoon a courso you chooso random|y and a proso|octod
courso noodod tor an oxtra major or m|nor. 1hoy aro both
co||ogo coursos, thoy aro worth tho samo amount ot crod|ts,
thoy both |ntorost you, and thoy both roqu|ro rough|y tho
samo amount ot work. 1ho oint horo ia that tacking on
an oxtra ma[or or minor ia not a ma[or hardahi. On tho
contrary, |t's just a way ot tocus|ng your doc|s|on ot what
c|assos to tako oach torm. And tocus|ng |s good. lt sonds
tho mossago to yourso|t, and tho wor|d, that you aro a
sor|ous studont w|th sor|ous |ntorosts.
1ho koy to pa|n|oss|y add|ng a now concontrat|on |s to
p|an wo|| and to p|an oar|y. As soon as you doc|do what
your socond major or m|nor w||| bo, tako a n|ght to oxam|no
tho roqu|romonts and courso ottor|ngs |n dota||. lay out a
n|co|y d|str|butod p|an ot what coursos you w||| tako and
whon. 1hon just to||ow th|s p|an oach subsoquont somostor
whon you so|oct your c|assos. 1h|s |s a|| you nood to do.
On tho othor hand, |t you aro a|roady tar a|ong |n your
acadom|c caroor, hopo |s st||| not |ost. Vany studonts como
amaz|ng|y c|oso to comp|ot|ng tho roqu|rod coursos tor an
oxtra major or m|nor w|thout ovon roa||z|ng |t. 1ako a good
|ook at your transcr|pt. Aro thoro any subjoct aroas whoro
you havo takon a ta|r numbor ot c|assos outs|do ot your
pr|mary tocus? |or most studonts tho answor horo |s yos.
1horo |s tho Eng||sh major who bocauso ot a study abroad
program has rackod up a |ot ot |ronch crod|ts, or tho
computor sc|onco major who has boon tak|ng art h|story
coursos ott and on tor tho |ast coup|o ot yoars, or tho
ong|noor|ng studont who gots a thr||| out ot psycho|ogy
som|nars. |or any such socondary c|ustor ot coursos on
your transcr|pt, |ook up how many crod|ts away you aro
trom a socond major or m|nor. 1ho rosu|ts aro otton
surpr|s|ng. lt's qu|to common tor a jun|or, or ta|| somostor
son|or, to roa||zo that |t ho just takos two or throo moro
spoc|t|c coursos, ho can tack on a m|nor ho novor know ho
was pursu|ng.
lt you aro go|ng to tako tho samo bas|c numbor ot
c|assos dur|ng your tour yoars ot co||ogo, no mattor what
you doc|do to study, you m|ght as wo|| squoozo as many
concontrat|ons as poss|b|o out ot your oxpor|onco. As hard
as |t m|ght bo to g|vo up an Undorwator 3askot Woav|ng
o|oct|vo, succosstu| studonts oxtract as much as poss|b|o
out ot tho|r acadom|c caroor. 3o tack on that oxtra major or
m|nor and max|m|zo your ach|ovomonts as an
undorgraduato.



Vost |lko|y, yoo w||| bo ass|gnod an acadom|c adv|sor your
troshman yoar. 1h|s porson, usua||y a protossor, |s
ava||ab|o to prov|do you w|th carotu||y cons|dorod adv|co
and to ho|p you construct an acadom|c path propor|y su|tod
to your ab|||t|os and |ntorosts. ln thoory, th|s sounds ||ko a
good |doa, but horo |s how |t typ|ca||y p|ays out: (1) you
moot w|th your adv|sor your t|rst wook ot schoo|, you to|| h|m
what c|assos you s|gnod up tor, and ho g|vos h|s approva|,
(2) two yoars pass w|thout any turthor contact, (8) you
oncountor your adv|sor |n a ha||way, and unsuro as to
whothor you shou|d say h|,' you ond up sm|||ng ||ko a shy
schoo|g|r| and manago on|y an ombarrassod, spasmod|c
nod.
Avo|d th|s awkwardnoss by mak|ng your acadom|c
adv|sor an a||y oar|y on. lomombor lu|o #8, 3otr|ond a
lrotossor'? A|| ot thoso bonot|ts ot protossor|a| tr|ondsh|p
app|y horo. 1ho koy to hand||ng adv|sors |s to g|vo thom tho
opportun|ty to adv|so. Como to your t|rst schodu|od adv|sor
moot|ng w|th a ||st ot quost|ons. lross your adv|sor tor h|s
or hor w|sdom on choos|ng majors, hand||ng d|str|but|vo
roqu|romonts, t|nd|ng tho bost, most worthwh||o coursos,
and |oarn|ng gonora| stratog|os tor koop|ng on top ot your
work|oad. |oo| troo to o-ma|| add|t|ona| quost|ons as tho
torm goos on. 1ako tho t|mo to sot up an appo|ntmont at
tho bog|nn|ng ot oach somostor to mako suro you'ro on tho
r|ght track. 1ho socrot horo |s that you, tho studont, havo to
tako tho |n|t|at|vo to mako your adv|sor usotu|. 1roat h|m or
hor as a troob|o acadom|c a||y, g|von to you by tho co||ogo.
W|th a ||tt|o b|t ot pors|stonco, and much |oss ovora|| work
than |t takos to botr|ond a protossor trom scratch, you can
torm a t|odg||ng montor ro|at|onsh|p botoro your t|rst
somostor as a troshman |s ovor. 1h|s can bo an |mportant
sourco ot w|sdom, |nsp|rat|on, and adv|co. lt you ompowor
your adv|sor to ho|p you, a va|uab|o connoct|on w||| torm.
1h|s connoct|on |s yours to |oso or ombraco. 0on't |ot a
potont|a||y bonot|c|a| ro|at|onsh|p w|th your adv|sor pass
you by.



lor o|| yoo s|ackors out thoro, don't start co|obrat|ng just
yot. A||ow mo to t|rst c|ar|ty th|s ru|o. 1horo |s noth|ng wrong
w|th gott|ng a job at co||ogo. Vany studonts nood tho monoy
tor work-study and t|nanc|a|-a|d packagos, and |n tact,
many studonts a|so roport that tho rospons|b|||ty ot a part-
t|mo job puts somo much-noodod structuro |nto tho|r ||vos.
1ho koy tactor horo |s what typo ot job you got.
0on't work rota|| |n town. 0on't sorvo tood at a |oca|
rostaurant. 0on't pa|nt housos or ho|p movo turn|turo. 0on't
work at a campus d|n|ng ha||. 0on't t||o papors at an ott|co.
1hoso jobs w||| bo d|stract|ng, domand|ng ot your t|mo, and
onorgy dra|n|ng. lnstoad, try to tind a atratogic [ob at
your coIIogo. Ono opt|on |s to got a pa|d pos|t|on |n an
acadom|c dopartmont |n wh|ch you havo an |ntorost. 3o|ng
a pa|d rosoarch ass|stant may st||| moan a |ot ot c|oan|ng
boakors or mak|ng photocop|os, but at tho samo t|mo you
aro |mmorsod |n acadom|a. You w||| bo work|ng w|th
protossors and w||| bocomo vory tam|||ar w|th tho|r rosoarch
projocts. 1ho stop trom bo|ng an ass|stant to gott|ng moro
sor|ous|y |nvo|vod w|th a protoss|ona| rosoarch projoct |s
much oas|or than try|ng to do tho samo th|ng as just anothor
random studont. And you w||| bo croat|ng va|uab|o tacu|ty
connoct|ons. 1h|s typo ot stratog|c job prov|dos both monoy
and a hoad start toward succood|ng at co||ogo.
Anothor opt|on |s to obta|n ono ot your co||ogo's many
t|utt jobs, wh|ch |nc|udo any pos|t|on that |nvo|vos s|tt|ng |n a
qu|ot spaco wh||o do|ng a m|n|mum ot actua| work. 1h|s
usua||y moans mann|ng an |ntormat|on dosk at a ||brary or
s|m||ar campus bu||d|ng, though othor jobs |n th|s catogory
|nc|udo bo|ng a mus|c mon|tor (|.o., hand|ng out pract|co
room koys) or work|ng tho rocopt|on dosk at an out-ot-tho-
way campus organ|zat|on. 1ho wondortu| bonot|t ot thoso
jobs |s that thoy act as ontorcod study ha||s. lt you havo to
s|t at a qu|ot dosk, v|rtua||y und|sturbod, tor two to throo
hours, you bas|ca||y havo no othor opt|on but to study or
othorw|so s|ow|y d|o trom borodom. 1hoso jobs can bo a
groat way to add somo structuro and cons|stoncy to your
schoo|work.
1ho socrot to obta|n|ng any dos|rab|o pos|t|on at your
co||ogo |s to |nqu|ro about opon|ngs oar|y. vory oar|y. 3tart
contact|ng tho |nd|v|dua|s |n chargo ot tho job you want at
|oast a month botoro tho somostor bog|ns. Vann|ng an |nto
dosk |s not oxact|y nourosc|onco, so gott|ng h|rod |s moro
about bo|ng tho t|rst to ask than any othor cr|tor|a. A pa|d
rosoarch ass|stant pos|t|on |s a ||tt|o moro d|tt|cu|t to obta|n.
|owovor, by contact|ng tho dopartmont oar|y and show|ng
roa| onthus|asm, your chancos ot gott|ng h|rod aro groat|y
|ncroasod. Your tacu|ty adv|sor, and othor connoct|ons trom
tho protossor|a| ranks, can a|so bo ho|ptu| horo.
Whon |t comos to studont omp|oymont, tho bottom ||no |s
that un|oss you havo somo sort ot oxtraord|nary sk|||, you
aro go|ng to bo pa|d around $7 an hour no mattor what you
do. lt tho monoy |s tho samo tor ovory potont|a| job, thon you
m|ght as wo|| t|nd a pos|t|on that bost ho|ps your acadom|c
caroor. You aro not at co||ogo to bu||d protoss|ona| work
oxpor|onco, you aro thoro to bocomo a succosstu| studont.
Vako your job an assot, not an obstac|o, on tho way to
moot|ng your goa|s.



7boro oro two typos ot papors ass|gnod at co||ogo: |ong
onos and short onos. long papors aro typ|ca||y ot tho
rosoarch var|oty. 1hoy roqu|ro qu|to a b|t ot t|mo to
comp|oto bocauso you havo to track down sourcos,
gonorato or|g|na| thosos, and mastor comp||catod now
|doas. 1hoso papors aro roa||y hard. 3orry! (3oo lu|o #4,
3tart long-1orm lrojocts tho 0ay 1hoy Aro Ass|gnod,' tor
somo gu|danco on how to mako thom |oss d|tt|cu|t.)
|ortunato|y, tho vast major|ty ot papors ass|gnod at co||ogo
aro short papors. 1hoso rango trom actua||y bo|ng short (2-
4 pagos), to bo|ng not so short (b-10 pagos), to bo|ng
downr|ght ov|| (11-20 pagos). Whatovor tho |ongth, tho
dot|n|ng toaturos ot a short papor aro that you typ|ca||y havo
on|y a wook or two to wr|to thom, and thoy usua||y doa| w|th
mator|a| you covorod |n c|ass and your road|ngs (not
or|g|na| rosoarch). 1hoso papors aro tho broad and buttor
ot a typ|ca| ||bora| arts curr|cu|um. You nood to mastor thom.
A good ruIo ia to aIwaya uao throo daya to writo
your ahort aora. 1h|s doosn't moan spond|ng throo
days work|ng on tho papor, |t moans spond|ng throo days
actua||y wr|t|ng. 3otoro your t|ngors t|rst h|t tho koyboard,
you nood to t|n|sh any nocossary proparat|on. Go back
through your road|ngs and notos and t|guro out what you
want to say. Vako an out||no ot your po|nts, wr|to out your
thos|s w|th crysta|-c|oar c|ar|ty, and havo tho sourcos you
nood to quoto road||y ava||ab|o. 1h|s |s tho oasy part.
lropar|ng |ntormat|on tor a papor |s much |oss pa|ntu| than
actua||y wr|t|ng. And tor a short papor you aro not covor|ng
anyth|ng you havon't soon botoro, so th|s prop work can bo
accomp||shod |n ono or two s|tt|ngs.
Onco you havo your |doas and mator|a|s organ|zod, |t's
t|mo to spond throo days wr|t|ng. 1hat's r|ght, throo. 1ho t|rst
day |s tho hardost. lt poss|b|o, mako tho t|rst day a
wookond day, or a wookday whon you don't havo many
ob||gat|ons. On th|s t|rst day try to powor through your
out||no and bu||d a rough dratt ot tho ont|ro papor. Got a|| ot
your |doas wr|tton down. 1h|s t|rst dratt w||| tako a wh||o to
wr|to as you w||| bo consum|ng and organ|z|ng a |ot ot
thoughts a|| at onco. lt w||| a|so bo |ong. lrobab|y much
|ongor than your ass|gnod pago ||m|t. 0on't worry, |ts |ongth
w||| bo brought back undor contro| short|y. A|so, don't worry
about cratt|ng portoct proso, you w||| t|x a|| ot that |ator. 1ust
got a|| ot your |doas down |n somo sort ot a cohoront
mannor.
Your socond day shou|d bo much oas|or than your t|rst.
Go back through your mass|vo rough dratt, t|ghton up your
word|ng, cut out oxcoss argumonts, and add support whoro
|t sooms to bo g|ar|ng|y m|ss|ng. 1ho goa| ot tho socond
day |s to paro your proso down |nto |oan and moan
argumonts. lo sontonco shou|d bo wastod. 0on't worry
about tho n|tty-gr|tty dota||s ot t|x|ng a|| grammat|ca|
m|stakos and portoct|ng sontonco structuros. 1ho socond
day |s a|| about mak|ng your argumont compo|||ng.
||na||y wo como to tho th|rd day, wh|ch |s tho oas|ost.
Vako anothor run through your papor, th|s t|mo roa||y
po||sh|ng tho dota||s ot your argumonts whoro thoy m|ght
st||| too| a ||tt|o th|n. Vako suro a|| your support |s c|oar|y
dot|nod and advancos your thos|s. Chock that a|| your
sontoncos road wo||, that tho |doas t|ow |og|ca||y, and |ook
tor any roma|n|ng grammat|ca| m|stakos. Go back and
rowork your |ntroduct|on and conc|us|on to mako thom
oxact|y match tho t|na| torm ot your papor. lr|nt out and od|t
your wr|t|ng w|th a ponc|| at |oast tw|co. 1horo |s somoth|ng
about road|ng toxt on a computor scroon that makos |t oasy
to ovor|ook stup|d m|stakos. 1hon, t|na||y, go through and
mako suro your c|tat|ons aro propor|y tormattod, add a
covor shoot |t noodod, chock your marg|ns, and hand|o any
othor adm|n|strat|vo dota||s domandod by your protossor.
A|| too otton, studonts try to comb|no a|| throo days |nto
ono. 1h|s |s a horr|b|o |doa. lt's pa|ntu| to try to comb|no so
much |ntonso concontrat|on |nto ono drawn-out oxpor|onco,
and |t producos |ack|ustor papors. 3y approach|ng your
papor trosh on two soparato occas|ons attor you comp|oto
your rough dratt, you w||| roa||y hono your argumonts and
produco tho typo ot po||shod wr|t|ng that can oas||y roco|vo
an A. lot|co that th|s approach doosn't nocossar||y roqu|ro
much moro t|mo than tho trad|t|ona| approach (a ono-day
two|vo-hour marathon ot wr|t|ng |s oqua| to spond|ng s|x
hours tho t|rst day, tour hours tho socond, and two hours tho
th|rd), but |t producos a much bottor rosu|t.
1horo |s, howovor, ono oxcopt|on to tho throo-day ru|o.
Whon work|ng w|th tho atoromont|onod ov||' papors (t|ttoon
p|us pagos), throo days may not bo onough t|mo, but tho
concopt ot broak|ng up tho work |nto throo chunks st|||
app||os. 1ust oxpand tho s|zo ot thoso chunks. |or
oxamp|o, tor a roa||y |ong papor you m|ght strotch your
rough-dratt-wr|t|ng phaso out ovor throo days, and tho
argumont-po||sh|ng phaso out ovor two days. What |s
|mportant |s prosorv|ng tho |doa ot a|ways soparat|ng tho
papor-wr|t|ng procoss |nto throo d|st|nct sogmonts.
3uccosstu| studonts don't spond much moro t|mo
work|ng than tho|r poors, thoy just spond tho|r work|ng t|mo
smartor. 1ako throo days to wr|to your short papors-your
m|nd, your body, and your protossors w||| thank you.



l yoo boo a do||ar tor ovory t|mo your paronts to|d you that
you nood to got o|ght hours ot s|oop, l wou|d ask you to |ond
mo somo monoy. lt's common know|odgo |n tho wor|d ot
paronta| |oro that ch||dron nood o|ght hours ot s|oop to stay
hoa|thy. And, ot courso, paronts novor hos|tato to to|| us
about th|s cruc|a| obsorvat|on, |t's somoth|ng thoy novor
grow t|rod ot (pun, untortunato|y, |ntondod). l don't know |t
th|s s|oop |ntormat|on |s truo, and truthtu||y |t doosn't roa||y
mattor. What |s |mportant |s that you know how much s|oop
yoo nood to roma|n onorgot|c throughout tho day. |or somo
poop|o that may bo oxact|y o|ght hours. |or othors, such as
mo, |t's moro ||ko sovon hours. |or a |ucky tow, tour or t|vo
hours soom to work t|no. lt you want to succood at co||ogo,
you nood to havo onorgy and tocus ovory s|ng|o day. 3o
t|guro out how much s|oop you nood so that you don't havo
to t|ght tho s|ron ca|| ot your bod a|| attornoon. V|x th|s w|th
oxorc|so and a hoa|thy d|ot and you w||| havo a|| tho onorgy
and tocus nocossary to tunct|on at a h|gh |ovo|.
low, horo |s tho |mportant part: Onco you havo
Iandod uon thia magic numbor ot aIoo houra, koo
it conaiatont. 1h|s moans not on|y shou|d you avo|d gott|ng
too tow hours ot s|oop, you shou|d a|so avo|d gott|ng too
many hours ot s|oop. 3|oop|ng-|n wastos t|mo |n tho
morn|ng that doosn't nood to bo wastod. And |t you upsot
your s|oop pattorn w|th an aggross|vo d|sda|n tor your
a|arm c|ock, you can actua||y ond up too||ng moro t|rod than
|t you had s|opt |oss. l know th|s |s hard to hoar as a co||ogo
studont, but tho ru|o to to||ow |s: 1ho tact that you can s|oop
moro, doosn't moan that you shou|d.
Contrary to popu|ar sont|monts, max|m|z|ng s|oop shou|d
not bo your u|t|mato goa| as a studont. 3|oop |s just a too| to
ho|p you tunct|on. 1roat your body ||ko a mach|no-g|vo |t
oxact|y what |t noods to portorm |ts bost, not any moro, not
any |oss. G|vo tho snoozo button a rost. 1ry to s|oop on|y tho
amount you nood to mako |t through tho day.



7roo or o|so. 1ho t|na| hour botoro an oxam |s a good t|mo
to trant|ca||y rov|ow your notos as you spr|nt across campus
trom c|assmato to c|assmato try|ng to rocont|rm your
undorstand|ng ot hard concopts, a|| tho wh||o attompt|ng to
sk|m tho var|ous conc|us|ons ot a topp||ng stack ot
ass|gnod books on|y to co||apso |nto your soat moro
momonts botoro tho oxam |s passod out? 1ho answor |s,
most doc|dod|y, ta|so.
1h|s por|od ot t|mo |s moro cruc|a| than you m|ght
|mag|no. 1ho typ|ca| co||ogo oxam tosts two th|ngs: your
ab|||ty to domonstrato an undorstand|ng ot comp||catod
mator|a|, and your ab|||ty to roca|| and synthos|zo th|s
|ntormat|on undor prossuro. lt's not just what you know, but
a|so how wo|| you can oxp|a|n what you know |n short, hoct|c
bursts. 1h|s moans that attor you put |n tho study t|mo
noodod to |oarn tho mator|a|, you havo to put |n tho
ro|axat|on t|mo noodod to proparo your m|nd to oporato
undor prossuro. 3omo studonts bo||ovo |t's bonot|c|a| to
ma|nta|n |nto||octua| momontum' by study|ng r|ght up unt||
tho tost|ng bog|ns. 1h|s |s not truo. 3uch an approach
ro|oasos too much adrona||no, wh|ch makos you j|ttory and
untocusod. 1ho bost stato tor your m|nd to bo |n |s cont|dont
and ca|m. 1ako tho hour botoro an oxam to roIax.
1h|nk ot |t as an O|ymp|c ath|oto wou|d, tra|n|ng tor tho
m||o-run. ln tho wooks |oad|ng up to tho compot|t|on tho
ath|oto tra|ns hard. 3ut on tho day ot tho raco, ho rosts and
consorvos h|s onorgy so that ho can bo roady to compoto
hard whon tho start|ng gun t|ros. Your study|ng |s your
tra|n|ng, and tho hour botoro tho oxam |s your proraco rost
por|od.
load a nonacadom|c book. l|ston to mus|c that makos
you happy. lun a coup|o ot orrands. |avo a convorsat|on
w|th a tr|ond. Work on unro|atod-nondomand|ng-
schoo|work. 1ho koy |s to koop your m|nd act|vo and
onorg|zod, but not oxhaustod. 1hon hoad ovor to tho oxam
t|ttoon m|nutos oar|y. On tho way, start to ||ght|y rov|ow
somo mator|a| that you too| part|cu|ar|y good about.
lmag|no yourso|t wr|t|ng a strong ossay on th|s top|c,
|mag|no tho protossor hand|ng tho c|ass a copy ot your
ossay as an oxamp|o ot a good answor. 1h|s tochn|quo |s
moro than just shamo|oss ogo-strok|ng, |t bu||ds your
cont|donco, and, moro |mportant, |t warms up your m|nd |n
a good and contro||od sort ot way. Whon you arr|vo at tho
tost |ocat|on, avo|d tho tomptat|on to trant|ca||y cata|og a||
tho concopts you aro a ||tt|o shaky on. 1ry to koop your m|nd
b|ank, or, a|tornat|vo|y, cont|nuo th|nk|ng cont|donco-
boost|ng thoughts about do|ng roa||y wo||. Whon tho oxam
|s t|na||y handod out, tako a doop broath and havo at |t. You
shou|d bo monta||y n|mb|o, rostod, and onorg|zod by tho
t|mo your pon h|ts tho papor.
Vost studonts nog|oct th|s psycho|og|ca| componont ot
oxams. 1o on|y study tho mator|a| but not proparo your m|nd
tor tho stross ot tho tost-tak|ng oxpor|onco, moans you aro
on|y part|a||y proparod to do your bost. 1ak|ng tho t|mo to
ro|ax and thon to carotu||y roonorg|zo r|ght botoro an oxam
|s a groat way to cons|stont|y scoro wo||.



Porbops l sboo|o bog|n by oxp|a|n|ng what th|s ru|o doosn't
moan, |ost somo ot you got tho wrong |doa. 1h|s ru|o
doosn't moan that hon|ng your v|doo-gamo sk|||s w|th your
roommato shou|d bo your numbor ono pr|or|ty. 1h|s ru|o
doosn't moan that mak|ng suro no tr|ond ovor watchos 1v
a|ono shou|d bo your numbor ono pr|or|ty. And th|s ru|o
doosn't moan that schodu||ng a dozon soc|a| oncountors a
day shou|d bo your numbor ono pr|or|ty. What |t doos moan
|s that you shou|d novor tako your tr|onds tor grantod. 1hoy
aro your soc|a| satoty not. Whon you aro hav|ng a bad day,
whon you do poor|y on an oxam, whon you aro rojoctod by a
mombor ot tho oppos|to sox, or ta|| t|at on your taco
attompt|ng to wa|k up tho ||brary stops, your tr|onds aro tho
onos who w||| ho|p you too| bottor. Whon you aro borod or
|ono|y, your tr|onds w||| |nst||| |aughtor and oxc|tomont and
m|sadvonturo back |nto your rout|no. Whon you too| adr|tt
and aro unsuro ot whoro you t|t |n tho wor|d, your tr|onds w|||
provont you trom tak|ng yourso|t too sor|ous|y. 1ho
oxpor|oncos you havo togothor w||| bocomo somo ot your
bost stor|os tor yoars to como. ln short, you cannot Iot a
buay achoduIo como botwoon you and your
triondahia.
3tr|k|ng a ba|anco botwoon work and tr|onds |s not that
d|tt|cu|t. 1ho koy |s to p|an ahoad. Arrango to havo ono
moa| w|th somo tr|onds a|most ovory day (soo lu|o #28,
Eat A|ono 1w|co a 0ay'). You can o-ma|| thom |n advanco,
or just ask budd|os who ||vo noarby on tho way to tho d|n|ng
ha||. You can a|so arrango to oat w|th ono part|cu|ar porson
at a corta|n t|mo on a corta|n day oach wook. 1h|s can bo a
n|co r|tua|, and a groat way to koop soc|a| w|thout hav|ng to
oxpond much p|ann|ng onorgy. 3ut ovon |t your d|n|ng
schodu|os don't c||ck, st||| koop |n touch w|th your bost
tr|onds on a da||y bas|s. lt you aro busy, shoot thom an o-
ma|| to say h| and to soo what's go|ng on. lt you havo tho
t|mo, sw|ng by to soo thom |n porson. lt a tr|ond |nv|tos you
to do somoth|ng and you aro not too busy, t|nd tho onorgy
to go. lt a tr|ond |nv|tos you to do somoth|ng, and you aro
roa||y busy, don't go, but mako p|ans to got togothor |ator |n
tho wook. Vost |mportant, |t a good tr|ond noods ho|p, drop
ovoryth|ng and go.
Vak|ng tr|onds your numbor ono pr|or|ty doosn't moan
sacr|t|c|ng your othor ob||gat|ons, but |t doos domand that
you koop thom |n m|nd. |r|onds aro your most va|uab|o
assot at co||ogo. |uo| thoso tr|ondsh|ps. 0on't |ot othor
comm|tmonts and goa|s push thom to tho por|phory ot your
||to.



A |ot o co||ogo studonts dr|nk. A |ot ot co||ogo studonts a|so
cons|dor stroak|ng' to bo a rospoctab|o torm ot rocroat|on,
wh|ch |s to say, just bocauso a |ot ot studonts do
somoth|ng, doosn't moan |t's nocossar||y |og|ca|. l'm not
|ntorostod horo |n d|scuss|ng tho var|ous argumonts tor and
aga|nst dr|nk|ng at co||ogo. Whothor or not you chooso to
dr|nk shou|d bo a doc|s|on basod on your porsona|
conv|ct|ons, hoa|th h|story, and bo||ots. 3ut you do nood to
bo awaro ot how a|coho| attocts your ab|||ty to portorm as a
studont.
Go|ng out and hav|ng a coup|o ot dr|nks on a |r|day or
3aturday n|ght m|ght s|ow you down a ||tt|o tho noxt
morn|ng, but |t's noth|ng a quart ot 3tarbucks and a coup|o
ot Adv|| can't hand|o. |owovor, |t you go out and b|ngo dr|nk
-that |s, consumo a|coho| unt|| your spooch |s s|urrod, your
ga|t shaky, and your stomach nausoatod-no |atto |n tho
wor|d |s go|ng to pork you up tho noxt morn|ng, and you w|||
havo just |ost an ont|ro day ot product|v|ty. A sor|ous
hangovor makos |t |mposs|b|o to accomp||sh what you
nood to accomp||sh, not to mont|on that |t woakons your
body |n gonora|, makos you moro suscopt|b|o to s|cknoss,
and |oavos you too||ng downr|ght m|sorab|o. You can dr|nk
and st||| w|n at co||ogo. 3ut you can't rogu|ar|y b|ngo dr|nk
and oxpoct to succood. 3o maturo and mako tho r|ght
doc|s|ons to koop your m|nd and body |n a cond|t|on to
portorm your bost.



lt bos boppoooo to a|| ot us at |oast onco. A tost |s handod
back, and you d|d protty wo||, but thon you not|co that a
c|assmato has |ott a copy ot hor tost |ay|ng consp|cuous|y,
a|most |nv|t|ng|y, v|s|b|o on hor dosk. You tako a qu|ck |ook.
3ho d|d bottor than you! lt you typ|ca||y do wo|| |n a
part|cu|ar c|ass, soo|ng a bottor mark on somoono o|so's
tost can bo ||ko roco|v|ng a qu|ck k|ck to tho gut. You cannot
ho|p but too| as |t your c|assmato |s smartor than you, and
th|s |s a bad too||ng. Whon you |oso your acadom|c
cont|donco |n a courso, you a|so |oso your onorgy tor that
subjoct, you do tho road|ngs w|th |oss attont|on, you ask
towor quost|ons |n c|ass, and you aro oas||y rank|od |n
tuturo tost|ng s|tuat|ons. 3ut horo's tho k|ckor: a|| ot th|s
nogat|v|ty happons tor no good roason. Why? 3ocauso
dittoront atudonta' gradoa on any givon toat or aor
aro not diroctIy comarabIo.
|or oxamp|o, say you roco|vo an 84 on a tost and your
c|assmato roco|vos a 08. Your |n|t|a| |nst|nct |s to soo hor
as tho supor|or |nto||oct, tho ono who had an oas|or t|mo
mastor|ng tho subjoct at hand. 3ut |mag|no a|| tho tactors
that cou|d havo gono |nto that 08. Vaybo sho just happonod
to tocus hor study|ng on a spoc|t|c book or top|c about
wh|ch a |ot ot quost|ons woro askod on that part|cu|ar
oxam. Vaybo an unusua||y ||ght schodu|o tho wook botoro
gavo hor t|mo to roa||y |og somo |ong hours dur|ng hor
proparat|on. Vaybo sho bombod hor |ast tost so sho put
ovoryth|ng sho had |nto knock|ng th|s ono out ot tho
ba||park. Vaybo sho just got moro s|oop tho n|ght botoro.
1ho po|nt |s that thoro aro too many tactors that can
account tor both good and mod|ocro acadom|c
portormanco on any g|von day, and nono ot thoso tactors
has anyth|ng to do w|th |nto|||gonco.
3o savo yourso|t a |ot ot unjust|t|od gr|ot (or pr|do), and
s|mp|y |gnoro your c|assmatos' grados. Worry about your
portormanco and progross, |ot your c|assmatos worry about
tho|r own.



5occoss ls ro|otlvo. 3omo studonts havo modost
amb|t|ons. 1hoy wou|d bo happy to just |and a docont job
attor graduat|on, or mako tho doan's ||st a coup|o ot t|mos.
Othor studonts pursuo phonomona| droams. 1hoy want to
bo a sonator, start a major company, or got accoptod |nto a
wor|d-c|ass graduato program. As a studont |ntorostod |n
bocom|ng a standout, you shou|d to||ow tho oxamp|o ot th|s
|attor group, and dot|no your not|on ot succoss to bo as
amb|t|ous as poss|b|o. 1ho b|ggor tho goa|s you pursuo,
tho moro oxc|t|ng tho accomp||shmonts you rack up a|ong
tho way, and tho moro |ntorost|ng your ||to bocomos. Eow
do you ugrado your notion ot oraonaI auccoaa?
Ono oaay mothod ia to aook out honomonaI
achiovora.
What |s a phonomona| ach|ovor? Evory schoo| has
thom. lt's that rathor n|co math major who happons to bo a
lhodos 3cho|ar, l3| Graduato |o||owsh|p w|nnor, and
author ot a chaptor |n a ca|cu|us toxtbook. Or that qu|ot
drama major who has a|roady producod two p|ays, won a
bovy ot croat|vo awards, and |s work|ng sor|ous|y on h|s
t|rst novo|. Or that studont assomb|y ott|cor who just tormod
a statow|do youth montor|ng program, and works on
nat|ona| po||t|ca| campa|gns dur|ng h|s ott-torms. ||nd
thoso poop|o. Voot thom. 1roat thom to a moa| and havo
thom sp||| tho|r guts. ||nd out how thoy d|d what thoy d|d,
what |t to|t ||ko, and what thoy want to try noxt.
1ho |doa horo |s to oxposo yourso|t to poss|b|||ty. Whon
you spond onough t|mo ta|k|ng to phonomona| ach|ovors,
two th|ngs happon. ||rst, you w||| bocomo |nsp|rod. 1ho
thought ot accomp||sh|ng tho sort ot ach|ovomonts that t|||
thoso studont's rosumos w||| p|quo your onorgy. 3ocond,
|oarn|ng trom tho dota||s ot tho|r ondoavors, you bog|n to
not|co how tho |ntorosts |n your ||to cou|d toas|b|y |oad to
s|m||ar accomp||shmonts.
Attor you spond t|mo w|th tho math wh|z, you m|ght
roa||zo that you, too, cou|d harnoss your acadom|c ta|onts
to work on attont|on-grabb|ng projocts w|th protossors. A
|unch w|th tho young p|aywr|ght m|ght ho|p mot|vato you to
t|na||y wr|to that scroonp|ay you havo boon th|nk|ng about.
And a convorsat|on w|th tho studont assomb|y ott|cor m|ght
|nsp|ro you to tako on a |oadorsh|p ro|o |n commun|ty
outroach programs on campus.
3pond|ng t|mo w|th phonomona| ach|ovors |s ono ot tho
most ottoct|vo ways to oxpand tho scopo ot your amb|t|ons.
lt's a|so a groat way to |ntorjoct oxc|tomont and |nsp|rat|on
|nto your ||to. Vako a hab|t out ot gott|ng |n touch w|th thoso
poop|o. And do |t otton. 3oon you w||| bo tho porson othors
como to w|th w|do oyos and a host ot adm|r|ng quost|ons.



Ooo o tbo most |mportant sk|||s to dovo|op at co||ogo |s tho
ab|||ty to roa||y ||ston. Why? Wo||, thoro |s no oasy way to
say th|s, but, as a co||ogo studont, your op|n|on doosn't
mattor a|| that much. Wo a|| |ovo to oxpross our |doas and
bo||ots, and youthtu| cont|donco can mako |t tompt|ng to
jump r|ght |n and arguo w|th a protossor or othor studonts.
3ut |n truth, it'a much moro imortant that you aond
your undorgraduato yoara dovoIoing an abiIity to
aynthoaizo idoaa and Ioarn.
1h|s |s not to say that you shou|d novor oxpross your
po|nt ot v|ow. On tho contrary, bo |t |n c|ass or just ta|k|ng
w|th tr|onds, |t can bo a groat |oarn|ng oxpor|onco to havo
construct|vo d|scuss|ons or dobatos (tho koy word bo|ng
construct|vo', argu|ng ovor who sucks moro' doosn't
count). 3ut horo |s tho socrot to bo|ng a good ||stonor:
lovor bo tho t|rst porson to g|vo an op|n|on. lt you aro |n a
group or ta|k|ng w|th a protossor, and a top|c worthy ot
d|scuss|on comos up, you ga|n noth|ng by jump|ng r|ght |n
and prov|d|ng what sooms to you to bo tho obv|ous|y
corroct op|n|on. You m|ght bo r|ght, or you m|ght bo wrong,
but who caros? 1h|s |s an opportun|ty (a) to |ncroaso othor
poop|o's ostoom and rospoct tor you, and (b) to |oarn.
lnstoad ot |aunch|ng r|ght |nto your bo||ots, ||ston carotu||y to
what tho othor poop|o |n tho d|scuss|on th|nk. Ask
construct|vo quost|ons as wo||. 0ovo|op a good
undorstand|ng ot tho|r pos|t|ons, ropoat|ng back parts ot
tho|r argumont to onsuro that you havo comp|oto
comprohons|on. On|y thon shou|d you |ntorjoct your own
thoughts, and you shou|d do so w|th carotu| ap|omb. Wh|ch
|s a gont|o way ot say|ng don't start your rotort w|th:
Wo|como to wrong-answor-v|||o, popu|at|on, You!' lnstoad,
|ay out tho d|ttoront takos on tho subjoct-yours and tho|rs
-and |ntroduco tho quost|on ot what po|nts shou|d bo
|nvo|vod |n ova|uat|ng wh|ch s|do |s bottor.
|or oxamp|o, don't dobato gun contro| by argu|ng about
tho dangor ot handguns. lnstoad, d|scuss your d|ttoront
|ntorprotat|ons ot tho socond amondmont and what
stratog|os or h|stor|ca| oxamp|os ot const|tut|ona| d|sputos
can bost ho|p you roconc||o your d|sagroomont. 1ho tormor
w||| |oad to a |ot ot r|ghtoous |nd|gnat|on and hoatod
tompors, tho |attor w||| ho|p both ot you undorstand tho |ssuo
w|th moro c|ar|ty. You aro probab|y novor go|ng to conv|nco
an opponont that thoy aro wrong, so why wasto t|mo bo|ng
dogmat|c?
1ho boauty ot th|s approach |s that |t works just as wo|| |n
a c|assroom d|scuss|on ot const|tut|ona| jur|sprudonco as |t
doos whon shoot|ng tho broozo w|th a tr|ond. lt you |oarn to
||ston, not on|y w||| you dovo|op a much c|oaror
undorstand|ng ot |ssuos that you caro about, but you w|||
a|so ga|n othor poop|o's rospoct.
A good ||stonor at co||ogo |s raro. Koop th|s ru|o |n m|nd
so you can bo ono ot tho tow, tho wo|| rospoctod, and tho
wo|| |ntormod.



lt's loovltob|o, rlgbt Evory onco |n a wh||o your busy
schodu|o w||| |oad to a po|nt whoro your havo a b|g tost to
study tor, or a papor to wr|to, and thoro aro on|y two|vo
hours |ott botoro tho doad||no. You thon havo no cho|co but
to horo|ca||y work throughout tho woo hours ot tho n|ght,
t|n|sh|ng tho ass|gnmont just as tho sun bog|ns to r|so. ln
short, somot|mos ovon tho bost ot us must pu|| an a||-
n|ghtor. Wrong!
1horo aro two ma|n prob|oms w|th pu|||ng an a||-n|ghtor.
||rst, attor around two A.V., your monta| ab|||ty |s roducod to
rough|y that ot a toastor ovon. lt you th|nk that |n tho m|dd|o
ot tho n|ght your s|oop-add|od m|nd |s go|ng to torm
moan|ngtu| ||nks to tho mator|a| you aro study|ng,' thon you
aro sad|y m|stakon. 1ho typ|ca| a||-n|ghtor turns |nto a
pa|ntu| strotch ot m|nd-numb|ng stumb||ng through books
and notos w|th tho occas|ona| burst ot pan|c-|nducod tocus.
lt may soom as |t you aro add|ng anothor t|vo hours ot work
t|mo by push|ng through unt|| dawn, but tho roa||ty |s that you
aro moro ||ko|y add|ng ono hour ot worthwh||o work t|mo
and tour hours ot uso|oss ramb||ng. ls that roa||y worth tho
pa|n?
1ho socond prob|om |s tho attorottocts ot an a||-n|ghtor.
1ho to||ow|ng day you aro a zomb|o. lt's a horr|b|o too||ng.
Your ab|||ty to succosstu||y tako a tost, pay attont|on |n a
c|ass, oxorc|so, or do anyth|ng romoto|y product|vo |s
bas|ca||y nonox|stont. locont rosoarch on rost and monta|
tunct|on|ng has shown that whon you aro sor|ous|y s|oop-
dopr|vod your bra|n act|v|ty |s bas|ca||y |nd|st|ngu|shab|o
trom that ot somoono who |s tu||y as|oop. Wh|ch, nood|oss
to say, |s not a good stato to bo |n whon you aro try|ng to
portorm acadom|ca||y. And not on|y w||| your a||-n|ghtor cost
you tho ont|ro noxt day, |t w||| probab|y a|so ond up torc|ng
you to bod much oar||or than usua|, d|srupt|ng your s|oop
pattorn tor moro days to to||ow.
Why, thon, do a||-n|ghtors roma|n common? lorhaps tho
b|ggost myth surround|ng th|s c|ass|c co||og|ato study
tochn|quo |s that a||-n|ghtors aro |nov|tab|o. 3tudonts about
to partako |n a |ato-n|ght work marathon typ|ca||y comp|a|n
about how thoy havo no cho|co.' 1hoy try to como across
as vory sto|c and bravo, acadom|c warr|ors couragoous|y
tac|ng an unavo|dab|o batt|o. 1ho roa||ty, howovor, |s that
a||-n|ghtors aro novor |nov|tab|o. 1hoy on|y occur |t you
oocloo to start work|ng tho day botoro.
|oro |s tho rathor comp||catod and comp|oto|y
unoxpoctod socrot to avo|d|ng th|s s|tuat|on: Don't docido
to atart working tho day botoro. lt's roa||y that s|mp|o.
Whon you know a tost or a papor |s com|ng up, schodu|o |n
advanco tho days you nood to work on |t. 1hon, on thoso
days, g|vo pr|or|ty to th|s work. lt you got on|y ono th|ng
dono on tho days |oad|ng up to a b|g doad||no, mako |t your
study|ng or wr|t|ng t|rst, and ovoryth|ng o|so |ator. 1ako
stay|ng up a|| n|ght ott your ||st ot opt|ons. lt shou|d novor bo
cons|dorod a v|ab|o approach tor gott|ng th|ngs dono.
A||-n|ghtors aro ||ko po|son tor a succosstu| studont. W|th
a ||tt|o schodu||ng ottort and tho r|ght pr|or|t|os, you can
avo|d thom a|togothor.



7boy soy |oogbtor |s tho bost mod|c|no, and th|s ho|ds
ospoc|a||y truo tor co||ogo studonts, ma|n|y duo to ono
part|cu|ar|y nasty rocurr|ng prob|om: stross. Co||ogo-ro|atod
stross has a nogat|vo |mpact on tho body. lt |oads to
oxhaust|on, a docroaso |n motabo||sm, a woakonod
|mmuno systom, and gonora| unhapp|noss. lt's hard to
avo|d s|tuat|ons that causo stross, but |t's not hard to t|nd
mothods to combat |ts nogat|vo ottocts. laugh|ng |s ono ot
thoso mothods.
lot to got too phys|o|og|ca||y spoc|t|c, but tho act ot
|augh|ng ro|oasos an ant|body known as lgA. 1h|s ||tt|o
cr|ttor ro|oasos ondorph|ns, t|ghts ott stross-ro|atod
hormonos, and |n gonora| makos you too| good. lot to
mont|on tho psycho|og|ca| bonot|ts ot |ott|ng |ooso. 1ho
phys|ca| act ot sm|||ng actua||y sh|tts your monta| stato
toward tho pos|t|vo. 3as|ca||y, |augh|ng |s ||ko an u|tra-
powortu| v|tam|n, and you shou|d troat |t as such.
Find aomothing ovory aingIo day that wiII mako you
Iaugh. lt can bo a convorsat|on w|th somo w|socrack|ng
tr|onds, road|ng 7bo Ooloo, or watch|ng 7bo Lol|y 5bow
wltb 1oo 5towort oach n|ght. Vaybo you havo a part|cu|ar
wr|tor who makos you |augh (l cha||ongo you to road 0avo
3arry or 0av|d 3odar|s w|thout crack|ng a sm||o), or maybo
you got a k|ck out ot wo||-tormod, Wob-basod domont|a ||ko
|omostarlunnor.com. 1ho po|nt |s that you nood to mako a
consc|ous ottort to sook out avonuos ot |aughtor oach and
ovory day. l|to |s short, and tho phys|ca| and monta|
bonot|ts ot th|s s|mp|o act|v|ty aro outstand|ng tor
somoth|ng that |s so onjoyab|o and oasy to do.



7bls ro|o ls abso|uto|y ossont|a|. W|thout |t, you havo a zoro
porcont chanco ot ovor graduat|ng co||ogo. Okay, maybo
not. lt's not that a |ow-qua||ty notobook w||| bo unab|o to
moot your noods, but tho gonora| concopt ot |nvost|ng |n
your schoo| supp||os |s surpr|s|ng|y |mportant.
lt you tako notos |n a choap, trayod, sp|ra| notobook-
somot|mos cramm|ng sovora| c|assos' notos |nto tho samo
spaco to tho po|nt whoro thoro |s a|ways a sor|ous soarch
nocoss|tatod botoro you can ovor t|nd what you aro |ook|ng
tor-th|s w||| |mpact your rotont|on ot tho mator|a|. Whon |t
comos t|mo to rov|ow, th|s s|oppy prosontat|on w||| mako |t
d|tt|cu|t tor your m|nd to succosstu||y structuro tho |doas,
tacts, and thomos. lmag|no |nstoad that tor oach c|ass your
notos aro wr|tton on a h|gh-qua||ty notopad, w|th a good
so||d pon, whoro ovory |octuro |s c|oar|y datod and |ocatod
|n propor ordor. 1h|s sonso ot qua||ty and ordor ho|ps you
ostab||sh a sor|ous m|nd-sot. 1ho |ntormat|on |s |a|d out
c|oar|y and c|oan|y, and |t's oas||y accoss|b|o so your m|nd
|s troo to tocus on synthos|z|ng tho concopts, not track|ng
thom down.
1h|s |doa oxtonds past notobooks, ot courso. ln add|t|on,
you shou|d buy ono h|gh-qua||ty to|dor tor oach c|ass. Koop
a|| ro|ovant paporwork tor a part|cu|ar c|ass |n |ts spoc|t|c
to|dor, and koop a|| ot thoso to|dors |n ono spoc|t|c p|aco |n
your dosk whoro thoy aro conso||datod and oasy to accoss.
Koop your c|ass notobooks |n an othorw|so ompty drawor.
Uso h|gh-qua||ty pons, mochan|ca| ponc||s, and
h|gh||ghtors. Whon study|ng, buy a soparato to|dor to ho|d
a|| your rov|ow shoots, summar|zod notos, pract|co tosts,
and ro|atod mator|a|. You got tho |doa.
ln gonora|, mak|ng suro to uso h|gh-qua||ty and wo||-
organ|zod schoo| supp||os |s an |mportant way to roduco
tho stross ot d|sorgan|zat|on. lt a|so ho|ps structuro your
courso mator|a| |n an ott|c|ont way, and croatos tho r|ght
monta| cuos tor a sor|ous studont do|ng sor|ous work.
Us|ng a h|gh-qua||ty notobook w||| not guarantoo you
succoss, but |t w||| croato tho r|ght onv|ronmont tor |t to
t|our|sh.



7boro oro somo studonts who havo no prob|om work|ng
cons|stont|y and sor|ous|y on |ong-torm projocts. ln tho
wook botoro tho b|g tost, thoy rov|ow d|||gont|y tor two hours
ovory day, as a papor doad||no approachos thoy work on
rot|n|ng tho|r words oach attornoon unt|| tho t|na| product
sh|nos. Good mood or bad, onorgot|c or |azy, busy or troo,
thoy oas||y accomp||sh what noods to bo accomp||shod.
Wo tond not to ||ko thoso studonts vory much. 3ocauso, ot
courso, tor most ot us, work|ng on a |ong-torm projoct |s a
strosstu|, gruo||ng, horr|b|o th|ng.
3tart|ng thoso projocts on tho day thoy aro ass|gnod
(soo lu|o #4) |s a groat way to broak tho |n|t|a| spoctor ot
procrast|nat|on. 3ut gott|ng tho ba|| ro|||ng oar|y |s on|y ha|t
tho batt|o. What happons whon you aro too||ng unusua||y
t|rod on day tour ot tho two|vo days you havo schodu|od to
work on a b|g projoct? |ow doos ono t|ght that |ns|stont
urgo to put ott tho curront day's work, conv|nc|ng yourso|t
that ono |azy day won't mako that much ot a d|ttoronco?
3uch a pattorn can oas||y bog|n to ropoat |tso|t. You start
3uch a pattorn can oas||y bog|n to ropoat |tso|t. You start
sk|pp|ng moro and moro schodu|od study t|mo, work|ng
on|y whon you too| just r|ght, and by tho t|mo tho doad||no
approachos you roa||zo that you aro wootu||y boh|nd whoro
you nood to bo. A|| that hard work you put |n to got startod
on t|mo has now gono to wasto. 1h|s happons to tho bost ot
us. 1o succood on |ong-torm projocts you must rocogn|zo
that most ot tho advantagos ot start|ng oar|y aro d|m|n|shod
|t you don't work rogu|ar|y onco you havo bogun. 1h|s may
soom d|ro, but |t doosn't havo to bo.
lt you havo a hard t|mo work|ng cons|stont|y on |ong-torm
projocts, tho so|ut|on m|ght bo tho uso ot a work-progross
journa|. 1ho concopt |s s|mp|o. 1ho human ogo |s a
powortu| torco, and tor a studont try|ng to stay on top ot b|g
ass|gnmonts, a ||tt|o ogo can bo usod to ho|p koop you on
track. A||ow mo to oxp|a|n. You shou|d buy a sma|| sp|ra|
notobook that you storo |n your top dosk drawor. Evory
n|ght, to||ow tho vory s|mp|o hab|t ot jott|ng down tho day's
dato, tho |ong-torm work you had schodu|od tor tho day,
and tho work that you actua||y accomp||shod. 1hoso ontr|os
shou|d bo vory br|ot, no moro than a ||no oach. 1ho |doa |s
that tho actua| act ot koop|ng tho journa| |s vory oasy, so
you shou|d havo no prob|om mak|ng |t an unbroakab|o
hab|t.
1h|s ||tt|o act ot rocord|ng any d|scropancy botwoon work
schodu|od and work accomp||shod |s amaz|ng|y ottoct|vo |n
koop|ng your m|nd |n tho gamo. 1ho roason |t sooms so
oasy to |gnoro |ong-torm work ob||gat|ons |s bocauso no
ono ho|ds you accountab|o. |owovor, tho thought ot hav|ng
to rocord |n your journa| that you accomp||shod nono ot tho
day's schodu|od work,' |ntroducos a dogroo ot
accountab|||ty |nto your ||to. lo ono wants a pormanont
rocord ot tho|r tomporary |az|noss, so you'|| s|gh |oud|y, pour
anothor cup ot cottoo, and gr|nd out what noods to got
dono.
A work-progross journa| |s a s|mp|o concopt and oasy to
oxocuto, but tho ottoct on your product|v|ty |s surpr|s|ng|y
protound. 3y ho|d|ng yourso|t accountab|o you can do a
much bottor job ot manag|ng your t|mo and st|ck|ng to your
schodu|os.



Cootrory to wbot you may havo soon |n ovory co||ogo mov|o
ovor mado, as a studont you probab|y w||| not t|nd yourso|t
humorous|y ta|||ng |nto ono crazy advonturo attor anothor.
lt's ot courso |mportant that you havo a |ot ot tun at co||ogo.
3tudont ant|cs aro a groat way to strongthon tr|ondsh|ps,
koop your mood ||ght, and bu||d up a who|o co||oct|on ot
stor|os that ono day you can mako suro novor, ovor to to||
your ch||dron. |owovor, it you don't activoIy aook out
tun, it won't activoIy aook out you.
|or a troshman, tho thought ot m|ss|ng out on tun
act|v|t|os may soom nonsons|ca|. 1ho t|rst yoar ot co||ogo |s
trad|t|ona||y dot|nod by a|| sorts ot w||d h|gh-j|nks, now
tacos, and oxp|orat|on ot your now surround|ngs. 3ut as you
movo on through your co||og|ato caroor, and your schodu|o
bocomos moro and moro packod w|th moro sor|ous
act|v|t|os and ob||gat|ons, |t can bocomo oasy to |ot wooks
and wookonds pass by w|th no roa| oxc|tomont. And th|s |s
sad. Whon you |oso tho pos|t|vo bonot|ts ot |ott|ng |ooso on
a rogu|ar bas|s, you aro much moro suscopt|b|o to
dovo|op|ng a d|sgrunt|od m|nd-sot, a |oath|ng tor your
stud|os, and a gonora| stato ot unhapp|noss. 1h|s |s why tho
droadod 3ophomoro 3|ump |s otton procodod by tho
arr|va| ot a suddon|y packod sophomoro schodu|o that
drast|ca||y roducos t|mo tor |mpromptu tun.
1ho koy to avo|d|ng th|s tod|ous tato |s to act|vo|y p|an
unprod|ctab|||ty and advonturo |nto your ||to. 1h|s may soom
a ||tt|o countor|ntu|t|vo, but |t works, and |t's bottor than tho
a|tornat|vo. Gathor groups ot tr|onds to mako a c|rcu|t ot
wookond room-part|os, buy outt|ts tor a thomod trat party,
tako road tr|ps w|th |||-dot|nod d|roct|ons, soo mov|os at
odd t|mos, track down random aroa |andmarks that aro on|y
rumorod to ox|st, v|s|t tho |oca| bars you havo novor boon
to, |nv|to out now poop|o, throw part|os yourso|t, and bost ot
a||, porpotrato op|c pranks. Whon unp|annod advonturo
|oavos your ||to, rop|aco |t w|th p|annod advonturo. 3ook out
tun, and your co||ogo oxpor|onco w||| bo groat|y onhancod.



bl|o lt moy bo truo that good th|ngs como to thoso who
wa|t, |t's a|so truo that oxtraord|nary, hoad-turn|ng th|ngs
como to thoso who say scrow wa|t|ng!' and just go tor |t.
1ako a momont to |nvontory tho var|ous pursu|ts you havo
go|ng on. |ow many ot thoso goa|s wou|d mako you a
standout |t accomp||shod? |ow many wou|d causo a
protossor to mont|on you, unpromptod, at a tacu|ty
moot|ng? |ow many wou|d |oad to your namo bo|ng
brought up tor award nom|nat|ons? lt you answorod nono,'
thon |t's t|mo to |nt|ato your amb|t|on.
Ot courso, nood|oss to say, co||ogo |s a|| about try|ng
now th|ngs and bu||d|ng up a var|oty ot d|ttoront
oxpor|oncos-and that's okay. 3ut tho d|ttoronco botwoon
a succosstu| studont and a rogu|ar studont |s that tho tormor
|s a|ways on tho |ookout tor s|tuat|ons whoro thoy can roa||y
push a ta|ont to |ts ||m|ts. 1h|s |s tho ossonco ot |nt|at|ng
your amb|t|on. 1ako tho moat imortant ro[octa or
commitmonta with which you aro invoIvod, and um
u your critoria tor auccoaa.
|or oxamp|o, say you'ro an oducat|on major, and you
havo sot your s|ghts on tho rospoctab|o goa| ot try|ng to do
as wo|| as poss|b|o |n your c|assos. You cou|d |nt|ato your
amb|t|on by bocom|ng an undorgraduato grador tor an |ntro
c|ass, work|ng hard at obta|n|ng toodback trom tho
studonts, and thon at tho ond ot tho torm ta|k|ng w|th tho
protossor about ways |n wh|ch tho c|ass projocts cou|d bo
updatod or |mprovod. 1h|s wou|d ||ko|y bo oxc|t|ng and
onjoyab|o tor you, not to mont|on |mpross|vo. Or maybo
you'ro a b|o|ogy major work|ng as a rosoarch ass|stant. You
cou|d |nt|ato your amb|t|on by doc|d|ng on your own to
croato an oasy-to-uso b|b||ograph|c databaso to ho|p tho
pr|nc|pa| rosoarchors put togothor tho|r c|tat|ons. Or you
cou|d sacr|t|co a wookond to sot up a systom to
automat|ca||y gonorato tho charts that woro othorw|so
s|ottod to bo accomp||shod p|oco by p|oco ovor tho noxt
coup|o ot wooks. 1hat corta|n|y wou|d turn hoads.
lnsp|r|ng, |ntorost|ng studonts a|ways soom to bo doty|ng
tho norm. You don't nood to bog yourso|t down w|th an
oppross|vo numbor ot act|v|t|os and comm|tmonts, |nstoad,
just tako your roasonab|o s|ato ot ox|st|ng goa|s and tako
thom to tho noxt |ovo|. lt's not that hard to |nt|ato your
amb|t|on, but tow ovor th|nk to do |t. lt's a cr|t|ca| sk||| to
|oarn tor anyono |ntorostod |n bocom|ng a standout.



A co||ogloto ocooomlc dopartmont |s ||ko a sma||
corporat|on. At tho top ot tho h|orarchy aro tho protossors,
who aro supportod by dozons ot ass|stants and
adm|n|strators a|| work|ng toward tho samo two goa|s: to
croato an onv|ronmont whoro tho protossors havo tho
rosourcos thoy nood to pub||sh and advanco know|odgo |n
tho|r t|o|ds, to ho|p tra|n qua||t|od studonts to go out |nto tho
wor|d and hora|d tho dopartmont's roputat|on. lt's th|s
socond goa| that most d|roct|y attocts you.
Your dopartmont wants you to bo |nvo|vod so thoy can
ho|p you succood boyond your undorgraduato caroor. 1h|s
|s why onco you ott|c|a||y doc|aro your major, you w||| bog|n
to roco|vo not|cos tor a w|do var|oty ot ovonts sponsorod by
your dopartmont. 1hoso |nc|udo pragmat|c ta|ks on subjocts
||ko choos|ng your courso |oad, wr|t|ng an undorgraduato
thos|s, and propar|ng tor tho job wor|d or graduato schoo|.
1hoso a|so |nc|udo |octuros g|von by |oadors |n tho t|o|d,
som|nars conductod by protossors, graduato studonts'
pub||c thos|s dotonsos, corporato rocru|tmont soss|ons,
pub||c thos|s dotonsos, corporato rocru|tmont soss|ons,
and yos, ovon part|os. ln tho chaos ot c|assos,
oxtracurr|cu|ar act|v|t|os, and a hoa|thy soc|a| schodu|o,
thoso opt|ona| ovonts aro oasy to avo|d. Don't avoid
thom.
You nood to got |nvo|vod w|th your major dopartmont.
3how|ng up at opt|ona| ovonts and bocom|ng a rocogn|zod
taco among tho tacu|ty |s a way to do th|s. 1ho
rocommondat|ons and porsona| contacts you nood tor your
tuturo w||| como ma|n|y trom protossors |n your major
dopartmont, so thoy nood to know you. 1hoy nood to onjoy
your company. 1hoy nood ov|donco ot your |nvo|vomont |n
tho|r doma|n. 1h|s doosn't moan you havo to show up at
ovory s|ng|o dopartmonta| ovont-that m|ght soom a ||tt|o . .
. what's tho word? . . . oh, yoah, obsosslvo. 3ut you must
mako a po|nt ot show|ng up to somoth|ng about onco a
month. And whon you run |nto protossors at thoso ovonts,
havo somoth|ng br|ot (and |ntorost|ng) to say. You can ta|k
about a papor thoy just pub||shod, ask a quost|on about a
c|ass thoy ottor, or s|mp|y commont on tho woathor. 1hoso
||tt|o |ntoract|ons w||| ho|p so||d|ty thoso |mportant
ro|at|onsh|ps.
1h|s stratogy |s ot courso no subst|tuto tor gott|ng
substant|vo|y |nvo|vod |n your t|o|d ot study (soo lu|o #20,
1ump |nto losoarch as 3oon as loss|b|o.') or bu||d|ng
part|cu|ar|y c|oso bonds w|th ono or two |nd|v|dua|
protossors (soo lu|o #8, 3otr|ond a lrotossor'), but |t's
tho |c|ng on tho cako |n torms ot sott|ng yourso|t up to
roco|vo tho tu|| support ot your dopartmont.



bl|o ot co||ogo you w||| run |nto somo studonts w|th an
a|arm|ng concorn tor tho |mpact ot ovory s|ng|o gradod
ass|gnmont on tho|r ovora|| acadom|c stand|ng. 1hoso aro
tho studonts who dovo|op sproadshoots to |nstant|y
ca|cu|ato how many thousandths ot a po|nt tho 3+ on tho|r
|ast organ|c chom|stry tost w||| nudgo tho|r cumu|at|vo
G.l.A. 3omo poop|o ca|| thoso studonts pragmat|c. l ca||
thom wo|rd.
0oos a standout studont got good grados? 3uro, tor tho
most part. 1hoy study smart and ongago tho mator|a|, so
thoy tond to do wo||. 3ut what |s moro |mportant |s that thoy
troat oach c|ass as an |nto||octua| cha||ongo to conquor.
3omot|mos th|ngs don't turn out tho way thoy want, and th|s
|s unavo|dab|o. lt's oasy to wr|to a good papor but touch on
tho wrong top|cs. Or to t|y through a b|g math prob|om w|th
oaso but uso tho wrong a|gor|thm. 3ad grados happon, and
th|s shou|dn't bo a b|g doa|. As |ong as you put |n tho ottort,
who caros about ono bad day?
l onco mot a part|cu|ar|y awo-|nsp|r|ng lhodos 3cho|ar
who do||ghtod |n to|||ng tho story ot how sho bombod hor
t|na| oxam |n a ca|cu|us courso. 0|d th|s d|sastor ru|n hor
acadom|c caroor? lot at a||. 3ho may havo mado somo
dumb m|stakos on ono tost, but |n tho ond, sho mado suro
sho ovontua||y conquorod thoso concopts. ln tact, tho t|rst
stop sho took attor hor |||-tatod oxam was to hoad stra|ght
to hor protossor's ott|co hours. 3ho wont ovor tho oxam w|th
h|m |n dota||, soparat|ng dumb m|stakos trom actua|
m|sundorstand|ngs and d|scuss|ng tho r|ght answors unt||
sho to|t |n contro| ot tho mator|a|. 3ho domonstratod so
much onthus|asm tor tho subjoct that tho protossor |nv|tod
hor back to bo a toach|ng ass|stant tho noxt somostor, ovon
though hor grado |n tho c|ass wasn't anywhoro noar tho A-
usua||y roqu|rod tor bocom|ng a 1.A. 1ho po|nt |s that sho
d|dn't caro about gott|ng a bad grado. |or concorn was
w|th undorstand|ng tho mator|a|. 1h|s tocus on |oarn|ng tor
tho sako ot |oarn|ng, not tor tho sako ot grados, may not
havo mado hor va|od|ctor|an, but |t d|d propo| hor to a
d|vorso and oxc|t|ng co||og|ato caroor-not to mont|on
qu|to a tow nat|ona| awards and honors.
lt you bog|n to obsoss about your G.l.A., much ot tho
oxc|tomont ot co||ogo |s |ost. Evory tost stops bo|ng an
opportun|ty to show ott your ab|||ty to ongago tho mator|a|,
and |nstoad bocomos a potont|a| dovastat|on to your
ovora|| acadom|c stand|ng. Evory papor stops bo|ng an
oxorc|so |n cratt|ng words, and |nstoad croatos rocurr|ng
toar that you m|ght havo como to tho wrong conc|us|on. And
at tho ond ot ovory torm you w||| ox|st |n a stato ot norvous
approhons|on as you wa|t tor your t|na| grados to bo
ro|oasod. ln short, obsoss|ng about your G.l.A. makos your
||to strosstu| and can dora|| you trom your |argor goa|s.
|t you want to bo a auccoaatuI atudont, torgot about
your C.P.A. lgnoro |t. 0on't ta|k about |t. Vako no attompt
to know tho numbors. You shou|d approach your co||og|ato
caroor w|th cont|donco and onorgy. Uso tho ru|os |n th|s
book to portorm your bost. Whon you havo tho occas|ona|
acadom|c m|sstop, novor |ook back, just movo on. l|to |s
too short to domand portoct|on trom yourso|t. |oo| troo to
caro about your grado whon you aro propar|ng tor a
spoc|t|c projoct, tost, or papor, but |gnoro your ovora||
G.l.A.



7bo o||owlog oro not va||d oxcusos tor sk|pp|ng c|ass: l'm
roa||y t|rod, l too| a ||tt|o congostod, tho |octuro notos aro
on||no, l havo othor work that l nood to catch up on, l don't
want to m|ss tho morn|ng's th|rd op|sodo ot B|oo's C|oos
on l|cko|odoon. 1ho to||ow|ng oro va||d oxcusos tor
sk|pp|ng c|ass: l havo a tovor ot 10b dogroos, l nood to t|y
to l.A. to accopt an Acadomy Award, today |n c|ass wo aro
rov|ow|ng a book l wroto, my |og |s caught |n a boar trap.
1ho mora| ot th|s oxorc|so: AIwaya go to cIaaaI
locturos aro tho sourco ot tho most |mportant mator|a|
covorod by any c|ass. 1ho protossor |s to|||ng you what ho
or sho too|s |s nocossary to know about a subjoct, what |s
not nocossary to know about a subjoct, and what |s tho r|ght
way to approach, ana|yzo, or d|scuss a subjoct. 1ho bost
way to ongago th|s |mportant mator|a| |s tor you to bo
surroundod by your poors, s|tt|ng |n a |octuro ha||, tho
protossor at tho b|ackboard, and you ask|ng quost|ons
whon you don't tu||y undorstand top|cs. ln short, you nood to
bo thoro.
Attond|ng c|ass |s not tho samo as rov|ow|ng tho
loworlo|nt s||dos you down|oadod trom tho lntornot, or
go|ng through tho baro|y |og|b|o notos ot a tr|ond. 1ho
spoc|t|c cadonco ot tho protossor's spooch, how ho or sho
structuros and c|ar|t|os tho |ntormat|on dur|ng tho |octuro,
tho co||oct|vo answors to tho quost|ons askod dur|ng c|ass,
thoso aro a|| |mportant o|omonts to ho|p|ng you comont an
undorstand|ng ot th|s cruc|a| mator|a|.
ln add|t|on, |t doos wondors tor your acadom|c
cont|donco to attond c|ass. 3k|pp|ng a |octuro |s ||ko
sk|pp|ng a gym workout: you w||| too| gu||ty, boh|nd, and
|azy. 1h|s |ack ot cont|donco, coup|od w|th a |ack ot t|rst-
porson oxposuro to tho most |mportant mator|a| |n your
c|ass, |s go|ng to |oad to poor acadom|c portormanco, and
th|s w||| causo your cont|donco to sp|ra| ovon |owor. Avo|d
tho doscont by mak|ng th|s ru|o nonnogot|ab|o. lt you sk|p
c|ass tor no good roason, ovon onco, attondanco tor ovory
c|ass suddon|y bocomos dobatab|o. 0on't mako th|s an
argumont that you havo to w|n ovory morn|ng. A|ways go to
c|ass.



5toooots oro gooo at moot|ng |oom|ng doad||nos. lt you
know somoth|ng |s duo tho noxt day, you can usua||y
marsha| your rosourcos, sharpon your tocus, and gr|nd out
tho work that noods to bo dono. |owovor, onco doad||nos
aro movod turthor |nto tho tuturo, our ab|||ty to assoss and
a||ocato work t|mo |s groat|y d|m|n|shod. ln tact, whon a
doad||no |s not |mmod|ato, our assossmont ot what work
shou|d bo dono |n tho noar tuturo a|most |nov|tab|y dotau|ts
to nono.'
lt th|s papor |sn't duo tor anothor ton days, |t's not ||ko l
havo to work on |t r|ght now.' lt wou|d bo n|co |t l startod
rosoarch|ng th|s attornoon, but |t's not abso|uto|y nocossary,
so why bothor?' lt that t|na| projoct |s throo wooks trom
bo|ng duo, thoro |s roa||y no good roason why l shou|dn't bo
watch|ng 1v.'
1hoso aro tho |ns|d|ous thoughts that porvado tho m|nd
ot a studont whon a doad||no sooms harm|oss|y tar away.
1h|s |s why you nood to torco yourso|t to a|ways bo
schodu||ng your t|mo as |t a doad||no |s noar. 1ho koy to
do|ng th|s: 5ot arbitrary doadIinoa.
1h|s tochn|quo |s s|mp|o |n concopt and surpr|s|ng|y
ottoct|vo |n pract|co. Whon you havo a |ong-torm projoct to
work on, ostab||sh trom tho outsot sovora| nonnogot|ab|o
|ntormod|ato doad||nos. loth|ng |s actua||y duo on thoso
doad||nos, but thoy w||| ox|st as a noarby |andmark to ho|p
you tocus on noar-torm goa|s. 1ho pos|t|vo ottoct |s
powortu|. lmag|no tho monta| d|ttoronco botwoon hav|ng a
papor duo |n throo wooks, and hav|ng throo days to so||d|ty
a thos|s statomont. Or |mag|no tho d|ttoronco botwoon
hav|ng a month to t|n|sh a b|g computor sc|onco
programm|ng projoct and hav|ng t|vo days to bu||d tho usor
|ntortaco componont. 1ho tormor |s daunt|ng and |nv|tos
procrast|nat|on, tho |attor |s approachab|o and mot|vat|ng.
1h|s |s not about tr|ck|ng yourso|t |nto th|nk|ng you havo
somoth|ng duo whon no actua| doad||no ox|sts. lt's about
broak|ng |argo projocts |nto sma||or, short-torm goa|s you
can oas||y accomp||sh. 3y sott|ng arb|trary doad||nos, you
b|ur tho d|st|nct|on botwoon sma|| and |argo ass|gnmonts,
and turn your schodu|o |nto ono managoab|o t|ow ot many
sma|| tasks. 1h|s |s a tundamonta||y smartor way to hand|o
your work.



lor mooy poop|o, ono ot tho bost th|ngs about go|ng ott to
co||ogo |s that thoy ga|n comp|oto troodom |n torms ot what
thoy oat. 1h|s moans you can grab a s||co ot p|zza trom tho
d|n|ng ha|| tor |unch, ordor a p|zza tor d|nnor, hoat up
|ottovor p|zza tor broaktast, and m|crowavo porsona| p|zza
pockots tor a m|d-morn|ng snack. Wh||o th|s sounds ||ko
tun, thoro aro a tow obv|ous roasons to avo|d oat|ng th|s
way. ||rst, you w||| ga|n wo|ght, wh|ch |s dopross|ng and
bad tor your gonora| hoa|th. 3ocond, |t you oat on|y junk
tood you w||| ovontua||y got scurvy and d|o. Wh|ch |s a|most
as bad as ga|n|ng oxtra wo|ght. |rom tho porspoct|vo ot
try|ng to succood at co||ogo, tho moat imortant roaaon
to oat hoaIthy ia to maximizo your onorgy. |atty toods,
rot|nod sugar, and |argo amounts ot rot|nod carbohydratos
w||| a|| |oad you to bocom|ng |ncroas|ng|y s|ugg|sh. lt you
havo ovor tr|od to concontrato attor down|ng a lh|||y
chooso stoak or a bag ot 0or|tos, you undorstand tho
dangor ot unhoa|thy toods. On tho othor hand, oat|ng a
nontr|od ch|ckon d|sh w|th vogotab|os, a sorv|ng ot tru|t, and
a |ot ot wator w||| onorg|zo you tor hours. Eat|ng hoa|thy
tood |s ||ko add|ng prom|um tuo| to your car, oat|ng
unhoa|thy tood |s ||ko pu|||ng tho park|ng brako wh||o you'ro
st||| |n mot|on.
Ot courso, |t wou|d bo unroasonab|o to |ns|st that you
a|ways oat oxtromo|y hoa|thy toods w|thout oxcopt|on. Wo
aro on|y human. |ow many t|mos can you ros|st tho aroma
ot trosh|y s|zz||ng hamburgors watt|ng trom tho gr|||, or
|gnoro tho tact that dorm do||vory ot stoam|ng hot nachos |s
on|y ono phono ca|| away? 1horo |s noth|ng wrong w|th
thoso por|od|c bursts ot cu||nary s|umm|ng, but mako thom
tho oxcopt|on, not tho ru|o.
Ono ottoct|vo mothod tor manag|ng your nutr|t|on |s to
dos|gnato wookonds as a t|mo to oat what you want.
0ur|ng tho schoo| wook, whon you aro attond|ng c|assos,
study|ng, and work|ng on ass|gnmonts da||y, mako a hab|t
ot troat|ng your moa|s as noth|ng moro than tuo|. Whon tho
wookond ro||s around, too| troo to onjoy your moa|s moro. lt
you havo a hankor|ng tor p|zza, tu|t||| |t. lt tr|os aro ca|||ng
your namo, answor. 1hon, whon Vonday arr|vos, go back to
th|nk|ng ot your moa|s as s|mp|y a sourco ot onorgy. 0o|ng
so w||| koop you onorg|zod, hoa|thy, and happy.



Lolog vo|ootoor work |s a groat contr|but|on to your
commun|ty. Evory co||ogo ottors a var|oty ot programs, trom
poor montor|ng to |ab|tat tor |uman|ty-sty|o sorv|co
projocts, to tund-ra|s|ng tor char|t|os, to organ|z|ng
oducat|on outroach ottorts. 1ho bonot|t ot commun|ty
sorv|co |s c|oar: you aro ho|p|ng poop|o |n nood. 1h|s |s a
nob|o th|ng to do, and studonts aro gonora||y a sogmont ot
soc|oty w|th onough |doa||sm and onthus|asm to actua||y
mako thoso a|tru|st|c ottorts a part ot tho|r ||to. 3o mako |t a
part ot yours. lot on|y |s |t |mportant to got porspoct|vo on
tho wor|d boyond tho cont|nos ot co||ogo, but |t's good tor
your sou| to dod|cato t|mo to |mprov|ng tho ||vos ot othors.
But don't [uat voIuntoor, voIuntoor quiotIy.
lt you want to roa||y dor|vo tho tu|| porsona| bonot|t trom
your commun|ty sorv|co work, don't ta|k about |t much. 0on't
gr|po to your tr|onds about tho t|mo comm|tmont, don't work
your gonoros|ty |nto convorsat|ons w|th othors, and don't
dwo|| on your |nvo|vomont |n job |ntorv|ows. ln short, koop
tho oxpor|onco porsona|. Whon you vo|untoor qu|ot|y you
aro pur|ty|ng your mot|vat|ons. 1o bo ho|p|ng poop|o w|thout
tho bonot|t ot outs|do pra|so and va||dat|on |s a wondortu|
way to |ncroaso your sonso ot so|t-worth, strongthon your
|dont|ty, and so||d|ty your coro va|uos. 1hoso aro tra|ts that
w||| carry you tar |n ||to. 0o somo good |n tho wor|d tor no
othor roason than want|ng to bo a part ot tho so|ut|on. lt w|||
rodot|no your approach to ||to tor tho bottor.



Co||ogo stoooots oo a |ot ot wr|t|ng, and th|s wr|t|ng otton
doa|s w|th subjocts wo don't roa||y caro much about (th|nk
1ho lnt|uonco ot Constant|n|an lomo on tho Caro||ng|an
Emp|ro'), a s|tuat|on that |oads to somo bad hab|ts. Ch|ot
among thoso |s tho tondoncy to v|ow wr|t|ng as on|y tho
mochan|ca| procoss ot transtorr|ng |ntormat|on trom your
hoad |nto grammat|ca||y corroct sontoncos on papor. Your
work |s good |t you oxpross a|| tho r|ght po|nts, your work |s
bad |t you |oavo out |ntormat|on. 3tudonts tond to tocus on
tho substanco ot what thoy want to say, not on how thoy say
|t. And th|s |s a prob|om.
Good wr|t|ng spark|os, not just |n contont but a|so |n
torm. Whon you road good wr|t|ng, tho var|od rhythm ot tho
sontoncos, tho carotu| cho|co ot words, and tho doscr|pt|vo
phrasos grab your attont|on and pu|| you through tho top|c
toward |nov|tab|o conc|us|ons. 1ho oxpor|onco |s a|most
c|nomat|c. You |oso yourso|t |n tho proso and como out on
tho |ast pago too||ng as |t you just oxpor|oncod somoth|ng
s|gn|t|cant. 1h|s |s how you shou|d asp|ro to wr|to. A studont
s|gn|t|cant. 1h|s |s how you shou|d asp|ro to wr|to. A studont
who goos boyond just domonstrat|ng cohoront know|odgo
ot a subjoct, and a|so arttu||y cratts tho do||vory, |s go|ng to
stand out among h|s or hor poors. lrotossors' oyos w||| ||ght
up, your namo w||| bo romomborod, and you w||| scoro
cons|stont|y h|ghor on your wr|tton ass|gnmonts.
Ono good way to romombor to tocus on torm as wo|| as
contont |s to aroach ovory aor aa it you woro
trying to win a PuIitzor Prizo tor oxIanatory
roorting. 1h|s pr|zo |s g|von oach yoar to a work that
|||um|natos a s|gn|t|cant and comp|ox subjoct,
domonstrat|ng mastory ot tho subjoct, |uc|d wr|t|ng and
c|oar prosontat|on.' lt you havo any doubt as to what |t
moans to |||um|nato a comp|ox subjoct w|th |uc|d wr|t|ng and
c|oar prosontat|on, go to www.pu||tzor.org and road tho
rocont w|nnors |n th|s catogory. 1hoso art|c|os typ|ca||y
movo dott|y trom anocdoto, to quost|on, to thoory, thon back
aga|n, pu|||ng you doop |nto tho coro |ssuos surround|ng tho
|ssuo at hand. 1hoy do th|s w|thout ovor gott|ng boggod
down |n an ovorabundanco ot dota||s or an oppross|vo|y
d|dact|c tono. 1h|s shou|d bo your modo|.
3o |t a h|story papor, a b|o|ogy thos|s, or ovon a |ong o-
ma|| to a protossor, approach your wr|t|ng as |t you aro
try|ng to croato an oxpor|onco tor your roador. Onco you
know what you want to say, sh|tt your onorgy to dovo|op an
ongag|ng way to say |t. lt you got borod whon prootroad|ng
your work, you aro not pay|ng onough attont|on to your
structuro and sty|o.
1horo |s a h|ddon advantago to th|s m|nd-sot that goos
boyond supor|or acadom|c portormanco. Whon you wr|to
as |t go|ng tor a lu||tzor, tho procoss bocomos |oss pa|ntu|.
1h|s may soom contrad|ctory at t|rst, but |t |s abso|uto|y truo.
Wr|t|ng |s st||| hard, and |t a|ways w||| bo, but |t's oxc|t|ng to
cratt an ongag|ng passago, or uso a part|cu|ar|y novo|
sontonco structuro, or bu||d a paragraph around an
|ntorost|ng rhotor|ca| rhythm. lt puts croat|v|ty back |nto your
work. You |ook torward to hav|ng somoono road |t. lt adds
an o|omont ot t|a|r to what othorw|so wou|d bo an ont|ro|y
tod|ous procoss.
|ow studonts to||ow th|s approach tor wr|t|ng, and tho|r
acadom|c oxpor|onco and portormanco suttors bocauso ot
|t. 3o ono ot tho tow who can mako ovon tho Caro||ng|an
Emp|ro soom ongag|ng, and you w||| bocomo a standout.



7boro wos o t|mo whon co||ogo campusos woro ground
zoro tor |mportant act|v|sm |n th|s country. 0ur|ng tho
v|otnam War, ovonts ||ko tho Kont 3tato shoot|ngs,
c|assroom wa|kouts, and takoovors ot adm|n|strat|vo
bu||d|ngs ho|pod dot|no c|v|| unrost |n a war-woary country.
3tudonts ho|pod tuo| tho |doa||st|c campa|gns ot 1ohn |.
Konnody and h|s brothor lobort. And studonts tod tho
t|amos ot gondor and rac|a| oqua||ty batt|os. 1hoso woro
oxc|t|ng t|mos to bo po||t|ca||y act|vo on a co||ogo campus.
lowadays, |t sooms ||ko tho c|osost studonts got to
act|v|sm |s s|gn|ng a pot|t|on to buy a trozon yogurt mach|no
tor tho 3tudont Un|on. Wo just don't caro as much as wo
usod to, and th|s |s untortunato.
lo||t|ca| act|v|sm |s |mportant. lt spoaks to your |nhoront
|doa||sm, |t g|vos you a sonso ot purposo, and |t o|ovatos
your sonso ot so|t-worth as you bog|n to roa||zo that you can
havo an |mpact. 1o bocomo act|vo |n a causo |s a powortu|
stratogy tor ho|p|ng you too| tu|t|||od at co||ogo.
|ortunato|y, po||t|ca| act|v|sm |s not ont|ro|y doad tor
|ortunato|y, po||t|ca| act|v|sm |s not ont|ro|y doad tor
Young Amor|ca. lo||t|ca| ra|||os do st||| occur w|th somo
troquoncy on co||ogo campusos. Cand|datos march |nto
|octuro ha||s to mako stump spoochos, groups organ|zo to
dobato |ssuos, and tho schoo| adm|n|strat|on |s st|||
occas|ona||y cha||ongod whon tho|r bohav|or strays trom
what studonts th|nk |s appropr|ato. loop|o |nvo|vod w|th
thoso act|v|t|os may bo |n tho m|nor|ty on your co||ogo
campus, but don't |ot that stop you. 1o|n th|s m|nor|ty. Attond
po||t|ca| ra|||os or protosts. 3tay |n touch w|th controvors|a|
|ssuos attoct|ng both your co||ogo and tho wor|d as a who|o.
ldont|ty wh|ch causos aro |mportant to you, and don't
hos|tato to domonstrato th|s support. Your studont yoars
roprosont a raro sogmont ot your ||to span whon you aro
|nto|||gont onough to undorstand comp||catod |ssuos, but
young onough to st||| tu||y ombraco an |doa||st|c v|ow ot tho
wor|d. 1ako advantago ot th|s t|mo wh||o you havo |t, and
got |nvo|vod.
Attond po||t|ca| ra|||os and koop tho t|amo ot progross|vo
th|nk|ng a||vo |n Amor|can studonts, |nc|ud|ng you.



5ommor ls o groat t|mo to oxp|oro your |ntorosts troo trom
tho burdon ot acadom|cs. 3ut just so thoro |s no
m|sundorstand|ng horo, thoro |s a d|ttoronco botwoon
sor|ous|y oxp|or|ng your |ntorosts and watch|ng dayt|mo
to|ov|s|on |n your pajamas wh||o oat|ng Capta|n Crunch
stra|ght trom tho box. 1h|s |s an |mportant roa||ty tor any
studont |ntorostod |n succood|ng at co||ogo: 5ummor
vacation ia not roaIIy a vacation. lnstoad, |t shou|d bo
v|owod as an annua||y occurr|ng graco por|od whon you got
to put c|assos as|do tor two months and tu||y tocus on
nonacadom|c amb|t|ons and oxpor|oncos.
3tart p|ann|ng your summor |n 1anuary, r|ght attor tho
ho||day broak. 1h|s may soom unnocossar||y oar|y, but
thoro aro qu|to a tow oxc|t|ng summor opportun|t|os that
havo doad||nos around |obruary and Varch, and |t takos
t|mo to organ|zo your app||cat|ons. Wa|t|ng unt|| tho |ast
m|nuto to t|nd a summor job or act|v|ty |s a p|an a|most
a|ways doomod to ta|| short ot your oxpoctat|ons. 1ho
oar||or you bog|n |ook|ng, tho moro |ntorost|ng opportun|t|os
w||| bo opon to you.
What spoc|t|ca||y shou|d you do ovor tho summor? 1ho
t|rst major quost|on you must answor |s: to work, or not to
work? Vany studonts nood to work ovor tho broak to bu||d
up tho cash rosorvos nocossary to attord a schoo| yoar ot
p|zza do||vory, ovorpr|cod toxtbooks, and, how sha|| l put
th|s d|scroot|y, rocroat|ona| ||qu|d rotroshmonts. |owovor,
th|s doosn't got you ott tho hook. lt you start |ook|ng oar|y
you can vory ||ko|y t|nd a good-pay|ng job that |s a|so
|ntorost|ng. 0on't hoad back to tho samo wa|tross g|g or
rota|| c|ork pos|t|on you ho|d throughout h|gh schoo|.
lnstoad, |ocato a pos|t|on ro|ovant to your |ntorosts and
stud|os. 1hoso jobs can tako tho torm ot an ott|c|a| pa|d
|ntornsh|p, a part-t|mo job at an |ntorost|ng p|aco, a
rosoarch ass|stant g|g, or an unott|c|a| pa|d pos|t|on you
croato yourso|t. lt you aro a budd|ng wr|tor, try tor as many
pa|d pub||cat|on |ntornsh|ps as poss|b|o and, ta|||ng that,
|ook tor sma|| jobs at |oca| pub||cat|ons. (You wou|d bo
surpr|sod how many sma||-town nowspapors aro |n nood ot
a gonora|-uso |ntorn/copyod|tor to ||ghton tho |oad.) lt you
aro a b|o|ogy major, |nqu|ro at ovory |ab ot ovory un|vors|ty
and rosoarch |nst|tut|on w|th|n a twonty-m||o rad|us ot your
homo as to whothor thoy havo a |ab ass|stant job ava||ab|o.
lt Gr|sham |s your 3hakospoaro, porsona||y contact two
dozon d|ttoront |aw t|rms to attost your dod|cat|on tor
ga|n|ng a summor |ntornsh|p. Your adv|sors at co||ogo aro
anothor good sourco ot both |doas and connoct|ons tor
|ntorost|ng opportun|t|os, so koop thom |n tho |oop as wo||.
lt you don't nood to mako monoy ovor tho summor, |t's
ovon moro v|ta| that you t|nd a way to max|m|zo your broak,
as tow th|ngs |ook worso on a rosumo than b|g opon ho|os
botwoon 1uno and August. ln add|t|on to tho typo ot pa|d
pos|t|ons mont|onod abovo, thoro |s a who|o othor catogory
ot |ntorost|ng unpa|d pos|t|ons that aro ottont|mos ovon
oas|or to obta|n. 3oarch a|| tho b|g namos |n your t|o|d ot
|ntorost tor |ntornsh|p pos|t|ons, and |t thoy don't ottor any
such pos|t|ons, wr|to a |ottor suggost|ng a program ot your
dos|gn. ln th|s |ottor, mako |t c|oar why your prosonco wou|d
ho|p tho |nst|tut|on or company |n quost|on. 1h|s |n|t|at|vo
goos a |ong way |n so|||ng your sorv|cos. You can a|so
cons|dor tho opt|on ot shadow|ng somoono. 1h|s |s a ||tt|o-
known tochn|quo that |s otton usod to groat ottoct by
w|nn|ng studonts. 1o shadow |s to contact an |nsp|r|ng,
powortu| porson |n a pos|t|on ro|ovant to your |ntorosts and
to ask to spond somo t|mo obsorv|ng thom |n act|on oach
wook. You shou|d oxp|a|n that your rat|ona|o tor shadow|ng
h|m or hor |s to movo c|osor toward your ||to pass|on by
|mmors|ng yourso|t |n h|s or hor |ndustry, you want to |oarn
tho ||to |ossons ot tho pros. 1h|s tochn|quo |s unusua|,
|nsp|r|ng, and a groat sourco ot connoct|ons. |owovor, |t
you go tho routo ot shadow|ng, you a|so havo to do your
homowork, know ovoryth|ng thoro |s to know about th|s
porson and h|s or hor company, and domonstrato a roa|
pass|on and dod|cat|on. Othorw|so you w||| just bo wast|ng
somoono's va|uab|o t|mo.
||na||y, |t thoro aro any part|cu|ar projocts or ta|onts that
p|ay a major ro|o |n your ||to, summor can bo a groat t|mo to
dovo|op thom. 1ho koy |s to work such a porsona| pursu|t
|nto an ott|c|a| structuro that |nc|udos accountab|||ty. lt you
want to spond tho summor wr|t|ng, do so w|th tho goa| ot
subm|tt|ng works to throo d|ttoront compot|t|ons como ta||. lt
you want to po||sh a mus|ca| ta|ont, jo|n a portormanco
group, book somo g|gs, or organ|zo a program to toach
mus|c to |oca| k|ds. lt you aro a sk|||od computor
programmor, work on contr|but|ng a c|ovor p|oco ot
computor codo to an Opon 3ourco projoct.
|ow studonts oxpond tho ottort nocossary to soarch out
a groat p|an tor tho|r summors. lt you put |n tho t|mo to
max|m|zo your broak, not on|y w||| you ga|n groat
oxpor|onco, but you w||| a|so como across as a so|t-
mot|vatod standout |n a soa ot your |oung|ng poors. 1wo|vo
hours ot n|ght|y s|oop, bad dayt|mo 1v, and troquont mov|o
ronta|s bocomos tod|ous rathor qu|ck|y. 3o tako advantago
ot your summor to bocomo a moro |ntorost|ng, |nsp|rod,
and amb|t|ous |nd|v|dua|.



lo tbls book thoro aro many ru|os suggost|ng that you
pursuo amb|t|ous goa|s |n your ||to. 1h|s |s roa||y |mportant
adv|co. lt's th|s |ovo ot tho oxc|tomont that surrounds
amb|t|ous projocts that soparatos a standout studont trom a
gr|nd. 3tandout studonts aro |nsp|rod, thoy aro constant|y
|ook|ng to |nvont bottor ways ot accomp||sh|ng goa|s, and
thoy chaso down hoad-turn|ng opportun|t|os bocauso thoy
can't |mag|no ||to w|thout that thr|||. Gr|nds, on tho othor
hand, sacr|t|co ovoryth|ng tor grados. Extracurr|cu|ar
amb|t|ons moro|y rob thom ot study|ng t|mo, thoy wou|d
rathor work hardor than smartor, and thoy aro typ|ca||y
about as |nsp|rod as a doorstop. You don't want to bo a
gr|nd. You do want to to||ow amb|t|ous paths.
1ho act ot pursu|ng goa|s, howovor, |s not tr|v|a|. Onco
you sot your m|nd to an amb|t|ous projoct, how do you
mako that droam a roa||ty? Ono ot tho most common
m|stakos you can mako |s to roma|n |nt|ox|b|o |n your
pursu|ts. 1ako tor oxamp|o tho h|story major who |s
dotorm|nod to got |nvo|vod w|th or|g|na| rosoarch botoro
graduat|on. Ono approach sho m|ght tako |s to moot w|th
oach ot hor tavor|to protossors and soo |t thoy havo any
nood tor a rosoarch ass|stant. 1h|s |s a good p|an, but what
happons |t thoy a|| c|a|m to not nood any ho|p at tho
momont? 3hou|d sho roma|n pors|stont on th|s tack,
contact|ng thoso protossors ovory somostor to soo |t tho
s|tuat|on has changod? 1h|s |s ono poss|b|o path, but thoro
|s st||| a good chanco that |t cou|d bo a doad ond.
What our t|ct|ona| studont shou|d do |nstoad |s to
|mmod|ato|y branch out and try mu|t|p|o, ro|atod paths. 3ho
cou|d hoav||y |nvost|gato upcom|ng grant and scho|arsh|p
doad||nos tor studont rosoarch support. 3ho cou|d bocomo
hoav||y |nvo|vod |n wr|t|ng rosoarch rov|ows and pub||sh|ng
m|nor or|g|na| work tor undorgraduato journa|s ro|atod to
soc|a| sc|onco. And sho cou|d sook ott-torm pos|t|ons |n
noarby co||ogos or th|nk tanks whoro sho cou|d bo oxposod
to rosoarch. W|th such a var|od approach, our studont's
chancos ot roach|ng hor or|g|na| goa| bocomo much moro
probab|o.
1h|s |s a koy concopt tor succood|ng w|th amb|t|ous
pursu|ts: Onco you havo docidod on a doatination,
oxIoro many routoa to got you thoro. And onco you
bog|n oxp|or|ng many routos, comb|no tho approachos that
soom succosstu|, d|scard tho attompts that ta||, and
constant|y tako tho t|mo to roova|uato what now
opportun|t|os may havo just bocomo rocont|y ava||ab|o.
1ry|ng to prod|ct tho tu|| path that w||| ovontua||y ho|p you
ach|ovo your goa|s |s otton |mposs|b|o. Us|ng th|s
tochn|quo |s a smart way to max|m|zo your chancos tor
succoss.



lt's probob|y oo surpr|so to hoar that onco you ontor
co||ogo, your oducat|ona| oxpor|onco w||| no |ongor bo
conductod |n sovon-hour cont|nuous strotchos ot back-to-
back c|assos. 0opond|ng on how your schoo| hand|os |ts
somostor systom, you w||| probab|y novor havo moro than
throo c|assos on most days. 1h|s moans you w||| troquont|y
bo tacod w|th |ong strotchos ot t|mo |n-botwoon c|ass
por|ods. lt m|ght bo ton m|nutos, or |t m|ght bo a coup|o ot
hours, but |n an onv|ronmont whoro schodu||ng |s cruc|a|,
how you hand|o th|s broak t|mo |s |mportant. |oro |s a
common tomptat|on: You got out ot a t|r|ng morn|ng c|ass.
You havo an hour unt|| your noxt c|ass starts at noon. 1h|s
sooms ||ko a good t|mo to ro|ax w|th somo 1v, and maybo
ovon catch a qu|ck catnap or throo, bocauso you wou|d bo
too rushod and t|rod to do anyth|ng product|vo |n such a
sma|| ||tt|o t|mo tramo, r|ght? As roasonab|o as th|s may
sound, |t's doad wrong. |oro |s what you shou|d do: Don't
tako broaka botwoon cIaaaoaI
1horo |s a good roason tor th|s ru|o, and |t has
ovoryth|ng to do w|th momontum. Whon you t|rst drag
yourso|t out ot bod |n tho morn|ng |t's a strugg|o to got
go|ng. |owovor, a strong cup ot cottoo, a b|g bow| ot
C|nnamon 1oast Crunch, and a br|sk wa|k to c|ass w||| got
your motor runn|ng. As your t|rst c|ass procoods, your m|nd
wakos up moro and moro. You aro |ntoract|ng w|th othor
studonts, you aro try|ng to undorstand your protossor's
|octuro, you aro hop|ng to catch tho attont|on ot that cuto g|r|
(or handsomo guy) |n tho socond row-your momontum tor
tho day |s start|ng to bu||d.
|owovor, |t attor th|s t|rst c|ass you hoad homo and
pursuo somo sor|ous ro|axat|on, your momontum w||| gr|nd
to a ha|t. low you havo to start a|| ovor aga|n w|th your noxt
c|ass. And |t you tako anothor |ntrac|ass broak, you'|| nood
to start ovor yot aga|n. 1ho prob|om horo |s that you on|y
havo so much onorgy on any g|von day, and you can't attord
to wasto |t by ropoatod|y try|ng to romot|vato yourso|t. You
nood, |nstoad, to adopt a smart stratogy tor hand||ng
broaks botwoon c|assos.
Uso th|s t|mo to koop act|vo and to accomp||sh tasks
that nood to got dono. 0on't g|vo your m|nd tho chanco to
bog|n shutt|ng |tso|t back down. 3ut don't ovortax yourso|t
o|thor. A short broak botwoon c|assos |s probab|y not a
good t|mo to pursuo sor|ous schoo|work. Un|oss you havo
moro than an hour to k|||, tho contoxt |s too rushod tor you to
ostab||sh tho concontrat|on you nood to accomp||sh
worthwh||o acadom|c ondoavors. lnstoad, uso th|s t|mo to
tako caro ot somo choros. 3otoro you hoad ott to your t|rst
c|ass, mako a ||st ot sma|| tasks and orrands you want to
comp|oto that day-buy toothpasto, stop by ott|co hours,
ma|| |ottors. 1h|s way you can koop your momontum
bu||d|ng by ro|||ng r|ght out ot c|ass and stra|ght |nto tho
choros you nood to got dono. lt |t's at a|| poss|b|o, try to
avo|d roturn|ng to your dorm room a|togothor, thoro aro too
many d|stract|ons thoro. You can uso pub||c computors and
study spacos noar your c|assrooms to accomp||sh any
actua| schoo|work or o-ma|||ng you havo p|annod.
1h|s concopt ot ma|nta|n|ng your momontum throughout
tho morn|ng and attornoon |s s|mp|o but ottoct|vo. Whon
you h|t tho ovon|ng study hours, you want to do so
onorg|zod and a|roady t|n|shod w|th tho day's sma||or
rospons|b|||t|os.



Notworklog ls tbo act ot purposotu||y oxpand|ng your c|rc|o
ot acqua|ntancos so that ono day you can ca|| upon thoso
tr|onds' to put |n a good word tor you whon tho t|mo |s
r|ght. 1h|s sk||| has |ong boon a stap|o ot tho protoss|ona|
bus|noss wor|d. lorsona| connoct|ons botwoon capta|ns ot
|ndustry add c|v|||ty to tho othorw|so harsh wor|d ot
corporato compot|t|on, and whon |t comos to h|r|ng a now
omp|oyoo, a porsona| rocommondat|on |s worth a dozon
g|ow|ng rosumos. 1h|s bo|ng sa|d, as tar as you aro
c o nc o r no d : Loavo notworking to buainoaa
rotoaaionaIa. lt you act|vo|y try to notwork as a co||ogo
studont you w||| annoy poop|o. lt's obnox|ous. And you w|||
not ga|n much moro than d|sda|n tor your ottorts.
lotwork|ng works bost whon |t |s an arrangomont ot
mutua| bonot|t. lt l work |n tho to|ocommun|cat|ons |ndustry,
and you work |n tho lntornot sorv|cos |ndustry, l wou|d want
to moot you. Your ||no ot work |s ro|ovant to m|no, |t wou|d
sorvo mo wo|| to |oarn about what you do, and thoro aro
dozons ot potont|a| avonuos |n wh|ch our two compan|os
m|ght ono day work togothor.
low |ot's say that |nstoad l work |n tho
to|ocommun|cat|ons |ndustry, and you aro a co||ogo
studont. l probab|y don't caro about you. 1h|s |s a pragmat|c
doc|s|on bocauso thoro |s no mutua| bonot|t horo. You want
a job. 1horo |s no doubt ot your goa|. As a studont thoro |s
roa||y no othor roason why you wou|d bo proact|vo|y try|ng to
moot mo, and qu|to trank|y g|v|ng out jobs to rocont
graduatos |s not a|| that oxc|t|ng. Un|oss l am a rocru|tor,
you can't ottor mo anyth|ng l want, and your mot|vos w||| bo
transparont. 1horo |s vory ||tt|o to ga|n trom bo|ng tho k|d
who goos to shako somo guost |octuror's hand, asks h|m a
sottba|| quost|on, and thon ombarrass|ng|y tr|os to torco
h|gh||ghts trom h|s rosumo |nto tho convorsat|on.
1h|s |s not to say that you shou|d avo|d mak|ng
connoct|ons, you just havo to t|nd a bottor approach. Ono
such approach |s to ootlootwork. Ant|notwork|ng |s tho art ot
gott|ng what you want by novor com|ng c|oso to ask|ng tor
|t. 1h|s tochn|quo |s s|mp|o and a|most paradox|ca||y
ottoct|vo.
Whon you t|rst |ntoract w|th a potont|a| connoct|on, h|s or
hor dotonsos w||| bo h|gh. |oro comos anothor studont,
bottor got roady tor anothor th|n|y vo||od attompt to roquost
job ho|p.' 1ho koy |s to act as |t you havo a|roady boon
ottorod your droam job, and |ook|ng tor omp|oymont |s tho
tarthost th|ng trom your m|nd. You aro cont|dont, your tuturo
|s socuro, but you aro cur|ous about what th|s porson doos
and why. 1h|s |s tho so|o roason why you aro ta|k|ng to that
v|s|t|ng journa||st, CEO, or rosoarch sc|ont|st. You ask
|ns|ghttu| quost|ons that show a so||d undorstand|ng ot tho
contact's work and a dos|ro on your part to bocomo moro
know|odgoab|o. You novor onco ottor up o|omonts ot your
rosumo un|oss spoc|t|ca||y askod, and ovon thon, you do so
w|th rostra|nt. You show cons|dorat|on and rospoct. You aro
cont|dont w|thout com|ng across ||ko a usod-car sa|osman.
lot onco do you show ovon a h|nt ot undor|y|ng so|t-
|ntorost. ln tact, you m|ght ovon torgot to g|vo your namo,
|oav|ng tho contact to ask you as you wa|k away. 1h|s |s
ant|notwork|ng, and |t works. l|oasant|y surpr|sod, tho
porson you aro ta|k|ng to w||| drop tho|r dotonsos, and, |n
tho bost ot c|rcumstancos, romombor tho ongag|ng studont
whoso pa|pab|o onthus|asm and know|odgo ot tho top|c
|mprossod thom.
low comos tho hard part: |ow do you turn thoso
|so|atod commun|cat|ons |nto a |ast|ng connoct|on? 1ho
bost you can do |s por|od|ca||y sond an updato o-ma||
ask|ng a vory wo||-tormod ro|ovant quost|on or roquost|ng a
thoughttu| and ro|ovant p|oco ot adv|co. 3ut novor onco ask
tor a b|atant tavor. 1ho koy to tho ant|notwork|ng approach
|s to |mpross w|thout |mp|or|ng. 1ho goa| |s that ono day tho
contact, who has grown tond ot you and |s |mprossod by
you and your |ntogr|ty, w||| not|ty you that ho or sho knows ot
a job opon|ng, and w||| bo w||||ng to rocommond you |t you
aro |ntorostod.
As a studont |t's tho bost you can do. lt's hard, and |t
works |ntroquont|y. 3ut transparont notwork|ng w||| work
ovon |oss troquont|y, and you w||| ond up annoy|ng qu|to a
tow |mportant poop|o. 0on't notwork. 3ut koop your
connoct|ons strong.



7bo Op-Eo pogos aro by tar tho most ontorta|n|ng soct|on
ot any studont nowspapor. 1horo |s tho socond-yoar h|story
major oxp|a|n|ng how to so|vo wor|d str|to, tho tourth-yoar
govornmont major |octur|ng on why ho knows moro about
|ntornat|ona| d|p|omacy than tho pros|dont's nat|ona|
socur|ty adv|sor, tho th|rd-yoar oconom|cs major
contront|ng hor angu|sh ovor whothor to bocomo a r|ch
|nvostmont bankor or an urban schoo|toachor, tho t|rst-yoar
Eng||sh major oxa|t|ng tho joys ot co||ogo |n tho ta||, and, ot
courso, tho backward-basoba||-cap-woar|ng tratorn|ty
brothor who |s not qu|to suro what yoar ho |s docry|ng tho
tact that no ono ragos' anymoro. 1ho Op-Ed pagos roa||y
aro so much tun. 1hoy can mako you |augh, thoy can mako
you angry, and somot|mos thoy can ovon mako you th|nk.
1hoy aro a torum tor studont vo|cos, and ovon |t tho wr|t|ng
|s otton st||tod, thoro |s ||tt|o dony|ng tho onorgy that
surrounds thom. Why not |njoct somo ot th|s onorgy |nto
your studont ||to?
Writo an O-Ed ioco onco ovory aomoator. Chooso
a top|c you know a |ot about, po||sh your proso and
argumonts, and a|m to mako a d|ttoronco |n tho m|nds ot
your to||ow studonts. Vako your p|oco controvors|a| |t you
want. 1horo |s a thr||| to soo|ng your |doas pub||shod tor a||
to road. 1horo |s an ovon b|ggor thr||| to soo|ng |ottors to tho
od|tor and robutta| p|ocos start to torm a d|a|oguo basod on
your sood||ng ot an |doa. lt connocts you to tho rost ot tho
studont commun|ty, onhancos your |doa||sm, and |nt|atos
your sonso ot purposo. 1hoso tra|ts w||| no doubt sound
tam|||ar, as thoy como up aga|n and aga|n |n th|s book as
bo|ng v|ta| charactor|st|cs ot a succosstu| studont. You don't
havo to ottor up portoct, award-w|nn|ng proso. 3o rad|ca|,
como out sw|ng|ng and catch tho roadors ott-guard,
h|gh||ght |ssuos that havo novor boon mont|onod, oxudo
pass|on. 1ho studont nowspapor |s not tho o|| 5troot
1ooroo|. You can got away w|th a |ot and st||| havo a good
t|mo do|ng |t.
Wr|to an Op-Ed p|oco at |oast onco a torm. 1horo |s no
othor oxpor|onco qu|to ||ko |t. |owovor, whatovor you do, try
to avo|d wax|ng poot|c about how no ono ragos' at your
schoo| anymoro-that's just p|a|n ombarrass|ng.



l yoo oro stand|ng up r|ght now you shou|d probab|y s|t
down botoro road|ng any turthor. 1ho ru|o that to||ows |s so
controvors|a| and so shock|ng that |t m|ght d|sor|ont and
upsot you. l am ot courso ta|k|ng about tho to||ow|ng
unprocodontod ax|om: You ahouId buy a tiIing cabinot
(cuo dramat|c mus|c).
1hough soom|ng|y tr|v|a|, tho s|mp|o act ot buy|ng-and
us|ng-a t|||ng cab|not can havo a b|g |mpact on your
stross |ovo|s and ottoct|vonoss as a co||ogo studont. loa||y.
1ho |doa horo |s s|mp|o. At co||ogo, ||v|ng a|ono tor tho t|rst
t|mo, you havo to doa| w|th a surpr|s|ng amount ot
paporwork and |mportant documonts. 1horo aro hous|ng
roquosts, torms tor doc|ar|ng your major, t|nanc|a|-a|d
|ntormat|on, ovont schodu|os, and b|||s. lot to mont|on
c|ass-spoc|t|c |ntormat|on such as sy||ab|, |octuro out||nos,
and ass|gnmont spoc|t|cat|ons. At t|rst you m|ght bo ab|o to
got away w|th tho c|ass|c co||og|ato throw-and-soarch
mothod, whoro you throw |mportant papors somowhoro |n
tho v|c|n|ty ot your dosk, and thon, whon |t comos t|mo to
t|nd a spoc|t|c documont, soarch unt|| you o|thor |ocato |t or
doom |t unrocovorab|o. 1ho prob|om |s that onco you bog|n
|os|ng |mportant papors, or bog|n |os|ng |argo amounts ot
t|mo c|aw|ng through your drawors and notobooks, your
stross |ovo|s r|so unnocossar||y. lt's human naturo: to havo
|ost somoth|ng |mportant unsott|os us. Wo ||ko to know
whoro th|ngs aro.
1horo |s onough unavo|dab|o stross at co||ogo that you
shou|dn't havo to doa| w|th th|s prob|om. 3o buy a t|||ng
cab|not. Or at tho vory |oast, got ono ot thoso s|mp|o p|ast|c
boxos that ho|d hang|ng t||o to|dors, or grab a choap p|ast|c
crato that can sorvo tho samo purposo. A|ways havo a
|argo supp|y ot hang|ng t||o to|dors and |abo|s road||y
ava||ab|o. 1hon, whonovor you como across a p|oco ot
papor that you nood to ho|d on to, o|thor put |t |n an ox|st|ng
to|dor or, |t no ro|ovant catogory ox|sts, tako th|rty soconds
to |abo| a now to|dor to ho|d |t. 1h|s |s tho oas|ost torm ot
t|||ng, |t takos vory ||tt|o t|mo to accomp||sh, and |t works.
1horo |s a b|t ot a thr||| connoctod w|th bo|ng ab|o to got
your t|ngors on any p|oco ot |ntormat|on w|th|n soconds.
You too| ||ko an organ|zat|ona| guru, and |t provonts unduo
trustrat|on.
Us|ng a s|mp|o t|||ng systom |s just p|a|n pract|ca|. Worry
about tho b|g prob|oms ot acadom|c ||to, don't |ot
organ|zat|on |ssuos stoa| too much ot your attont|on or
onorgy.



lo Ro|o #81, 0on't 3tudy |n Your loom,' l oxp|a|n that
bocauso thoro aro so many d|stract|ons at co||ogo, study|ng
|n a qu|ot, sombor, d|stract|on-troo |ocat|on such as tho
||brary |s vory |mportant. 1h|s |s |mporat|vo to koop |n m|nd
bocauso study|ng wo|| |s hard. lt takos a |ot ot ottort to
ach|ovo tho concontrat|on noodod to |oarn mator|a|
ottoct|vo|y, and go|ng to tho ||brary |s a good t|rst stop. As
mont|onod botoro, your dorm room ottors moro d|stract|ons
than tho typ|ca| las vogas cas|no, and by oscap|ng to
somowhoro tar away and qu|ot you w||| bo much moro
product|vo.
|owovor, thoro |s anothor tw|st. |or your most sor|ous,
arduous, and |mportant study|ng tasks, |t's somot|mos not
onough to just cru|so to any o|d spot |n tho ||brary. You
nood to tind your own aocrot atudy aaco. A |ocat|on
that you know w||| a|most a|ways bo ava||ab|o, a monast|c
cornor whoro s||onco |s comp|oto, Zon||ko concontrat|on a
g|von, and a|| d|stract|ons aro dot|octod. 1ho moro unusua|
or unconvont|ona| tho |ocat|on tho bottor. |or mo, my socrot
study spaco was a ||tt|o-usod carro| at tho ond ot a d|m|y ||t,
nonw|ndowod book a|s|o on a random unturn|shod t|oor ot
tho b|omod|ca| ||brary (novor m|nd that l wasn't a b|omod
studont, tho spot was qu|ot). 3|tt|ng at tho ond ot tho dark
passago, sho|vos ot books stackod boh|nd and |n tront ot
mo, a concroto wa|| homm|ng mo |n trom tho th|rd s|do, |n
comp|oto s||onco, l tound that l cou|d work tor hours w|th
stunn|ng concontrat|on. lt l had |nstoad grabbod a soat at
ono ot tho busy tab|os on tho t|rst t|oor ot tho ma|n ||brary,
my product|v|ty wou|d havo boon dramat|ca||y d|m|n|shod.
1ako tho t|mo to oxp|oro tho odd cornors and dopths ot
your tavor|to bu||d|ngs on campus, and you w||| corta|n|y t|nd
a h|ddon jowo| ot a study spaco to ca|| your own.
1ho koy to mak|ng tho most out ot your socrot study
spaco |s to uso |t spar|ng|y. Ovor t|mo, |t bocomos
dopross|ng to study |n such |so|at|on. lt you |ns|st on
comp|ot|ng ovory road|ng ass|gnmont, prob|om sot, and
short papor |n th|s soc|us|on, you w||| soon too| qu|to |ono|y.
ln add|t|on, as any co||ogo studont w||| to|| you, |t you
comp|oto too much tod|ous work |n any ono g|von |ocat|on,
you w||| bog|n to assoc|ato d|scomtort w|th that part|cu|ar
spot. You don't want to burn out your h|ddon study oas|s, so
uso |t on|y tor major ass|gnmonts, m|dtorms, t|na|s, and tru|y
daunt|ng papors. |or ovoryth|ng o|so, sw|tch your |ocat|on
otton, and study |n wo||-||t, wo||-popu|atod aroas ot tho
||brary. 1h|s so|oct|vo uso ot your socrot study spaco w|||
|ncroaso |ts ottoct|vonoss. Whon tho stakos aro h|gh, you
w||| havo tho cont|donco ot know|ng that thoro |s a zono ot
|ntonso concontrat|on roady to prov|do you w|th tho rosu|ts
you nood.
lt you can max|m|zo tho uso ot your surround|ngs, you
can max|m|zo your portormanco as a studont.



Yoo moy bovo not|cod that tho top|c ot study|ng occurs
qu|to troquont|y |n th|s book. Wo ta|kod about how oar|y to
bog|n study|ng, why o|aborato study systoms aro ottoct|vo,
and tho advantago ot t|tty-m|nuto chunks. Wo ta|kod about
whoro not to study, who not to study w|th, why tho ||brary |s
so |mportant, and how to uso a socrot study spaco.
|owovor, wo havo not yot ta|kod about how to actua||y |oarn
tho mator|a| onco you bog|n tho actua| act ot study|ng.
1horo aro many thoor|os about how bost to tako
|ntormat|on trom tho pago and mako |t your own. 1horo aro
who|o books dovotod to tho subjoct, and thoro aro cogn|t|vo
sc|ont|sts who havo mado caroors out ot prob|ng tho
|oarn|ng procoss. |owovor, |t you aro |ook|ng tor a so|ut|on
that |s t|mo-tostod, that works cons|stont|y tor somo ot tho
country's most succosstu| studonts, you nood |ook no turthor
than tho qu|z-and-roca|| mothod. 1ho dota||s ot th|s
approach aro s|mp|o. |or any mator|a| you havo to |oarn,
bo |t comp||catod soc|a| sc|onco thoor|os, toro|gn |anguago
vorb conjugat|ons, or phys|cs oquat|ons, your bas|c study
mothod shou|d a|ways |nvo|vo qu|zz|ng and roca|||ng. l don't
moan th|s ||ght|y. Ask|ng yourso|t a handtu| ot rov|ow
quost|ons doosn't count. You ahouId buiId your ontiro
aroach to atudying around tho concot that
making youraoIt rocaII aocitic intormation ia tho
abaoIuto boat way to Ioarn.
1ako, tor oxamp|o, a po||t|ca| sc|onco oxam whoro you
w||| bo g|von ossay quost|ons on var|ous thoorot|ca|
tramoworks. As you movo through your o|aborato study
systom, bog|n to draw up a qu|z tor oach thoory. 1ho qu|z
can havo bas|c quost|ons about who was rospons|b|o tor
oach thoory, whon |t was pub||shod, and what top|cs |t
|nvo|vos. lt you covorod tour major argumonts aga|nst a
part|cu|ar thoory, put down a quost|on a|ong tho ||nos ot:
l|st tho tour major argumonts aga|nst 1hoory X, who |s
rospons|b|o tor oach, and what t|aw thoy doscr|bod.' Your
t|na| study goa| |s to aco thoso qu|zzos w|thout pook|ng at
your notos. Onco you can do that, you aro roady tor tho
oxam.
1ako as anothor oxamp|o a computor sc|onco oxam tor
a c|ass about oporat|ng systoms. You know your oxam w|||
covor both app||od quost|ons, whoro you uso tochn|quos
|oarnod |n c|ass to so|vo a now prob|om, and
stra|ghttorward tactua| quost|ons. Your study qu|z cou|d thon
cons|st ot quost|ons doa||ng w|th a|| tho major tact-basod
top|cs, as wo|| as an oxamp|o prob|om to so|vo tor oach ot
tho major app||od tochn|quos you m|ght havo to uso. Aga|n,
onco you can aco thoso qu|zzos, you aro roady to go.
1h|s approach turns study|ng |nto a two-stop procoss.
1ho t|rst stop |s tho |ong and s||ont rov|ow ot a|| tho mator|a|
that |s go|ng to bo on tho tost. Wh||o you do th|s rov|ow, jot
down your roca|| quost|ons. lt you ask about a top|c trom a
spoc|t|c book, jot down tho pago numbor whoro tho answor
can bo tound. lt you ask about somoth|ng trom your notos,
jot down tho dato ot tho ro|ovant |octuro. 1h|s w||| savo a |ot
ot t|mo whon you torgot an answor |ator on.
1ho noxt stop ot tho procoss |s tho qu|zz|ng. 1h|s |s
whoro tho roa| |oarn|ng actua||y happons. Whon qu|zz|ng
yourso|t, you don't nocossar||y havo to wr|to down your
answors. 1h|s m|ght bo nocossary tor so|v|ng math
prob|oms, but tor d|scuss|on-sty|o quost|ons, too| troo to
tormu|ato your rosponso out |oud. You can covor top|cs
much qu|ckor whon you just havo to ta|k as opposod to
wr|to. |owovor, |t spoak|ng out |oud, |t's |mportant that you
st||| uso comp|oto sontoncos. 1ho moro c|oar|y you
art|cu|ato your thoughts, tho moro c|oar|y you romombor tho
|ntormat|on.
1h|s tochn|quo |s romarkab|y ottoct|vo bocauso |t torcos
you to roca|| tho |ntormat|on trom scratch. 1ho act ot pu|||ng
tho |ntormat|on trom your momory and art|cu|at|ng tho ma|n
po|nts comonts know|odgo much strongor than just road|ng
|t ovor a coup|o ot t|mos. lov|ow|ng notos on a top|c can
on|y tako you so tar. Your m|nd |s portoct|y w||||ng to road
tho samo words hundrods ot t|mos w|thout mak|ng any roa|
ottort to romombor thom. 3ut |t you actua||y mako yourso|t
staro at a b|ank shoot ot papor and roca|| answors trom no
othor sourco than your bra|n, you wl|| romombor that
mator|a|. 1h|s |s guarantood. Anothor tr|ck |s to |nvo|vo
omot|on. 0on't just s|t at a dosk and ta|k qu|ot|y. 3tand up,
paco your room, yo|| out answors, covor mator|a| as |t
|octur|ng to a tasc|natod c|ass, and p|ay |nsp|r|ng mus|c |n
tho background. 1ho moro st|mu|| you prov|do your bra|n,
tho moro connoct|ons to tho mator|a| you w||| dovo|op, and
tho bottor you w||| romombor and undorstand |t.
ln tact, th|s tochn|quo savos you t|mo and prov|dos
poaco ot m|nd. Your goa| tor study|ng |s no |ongor an
amorphous prom|so to rov|ow a|| tho ro|ovant mator|a|',
|nstoad, |t's tho much moro spoc|t|c rov|ow a|| tho ro|ovant
mator|a| unt|| l can aco a|| my qu|zzos.' lt you can pass your
qu|zzos |n two hours, thon you aro dono study|ng |n two
hours. lt |t takos you throo days, thon you aro dono study|ng
|n throo days-but at |oast at tho ond you w||| know you aro
roady.
1ho qu|z-and-roca|| mothod |s noar m|racu|ous |n |ts
ab|||ty to cons|stont|y prov|do you w|th top rosu|ts. And |t you
aro |nnovat|vo |n your attompts to koop your onorgy |ovo|
h|gh wh||o roca|||ng tho |ntormat|on, |t can ovon bo, daro wo
say |t, oo. Whatovor o|so you do to study, novor approach
an oxam w|thout t|rst hav|ng mado yourso|t roca|| a|| tho
ro|ovant |ntormat|on trom scratch.



As |oog os wo aro ta|k|ng about organ|zat|on, thoro |s an
o|octron|c vors|on ot d|sarray that can causo just as much
stross as an unkompt room or |nottoct|vo t|||ng systom. l'm
ta|k|ng about your ovort|ow|ng o-ma|| |n-box. 1hoso days,
ovoryono at co||ogo has a computor and a tast notwork
connoct|on, so a |ot ot commun|cat|on occurs v|a o-ma||.
3omo mossagos aro junk, somo aro sn|ppots ot o|octron|c
convorsat|ons you had w|th tr|onds, somo havo sont|monta|
va|uo, and somo havo |mportant |ntormat|on you nood to
ho|d on to. Organizo tho moaaagoa in your o-maiI in-
box Iiko you wouId your aor tiIoa.
Croato a soparato o|octron|c to|dor tor spoc|t|c c|ass-
ro|atod o-ma||s, tam||y o-ma||s, and tr|ond o-ma||s. A|so
croato a gonor|c lmportoot to|dor to ho|d mossagos
conta|n|ng any random |ntormat|on you nood to hang on to.
|or ovory o-ma|| you road, o|thor trash |t or t||o |t. At tho ond
ot oach day you shou|d go to s|oop w|th an ompty o-ma|| |n-
box.
Aga|n, th|s |sn't rockot sc|onco, but |t w||| mako you too| a
||tt|o |oss strossod, a ||tt|o moro organ|zod, and thorotoro
onorg|zod. And tho b|ggor po|nt horo |s not tho ru|o |tso|t but
tho m|nd-sot |t promotos. Vany ot thoso r|tua|s ot sma||-
sca|o organ|zat|on ottor a |argo-sca|o sonso ot contro|. And
th|s m|nd-sot |s nocossary tor succoss.
3o, troat your o-ma|| |n-box ||ko you do tho rost ot your
||to, w|th an oyo toward organ|zat|on, oaso, and ott|c|oncy.



7broogboot tbls book wo havo d|scussod your body as |t
you aro try|ng to oxtract max|mum portormanco trom a
domand|ng mach|no. Wo ta|kod about cons|stont|y
s|oop|ng tho r|ght numbor ot hours, oat|ng tho propor tood,
oxorc|s|ng, and avo|d|ng tho naps and a||-n|ghtors that
dostroy your s|oop cyc|o. low |t's t|mo tor a body-ro|atod
ru|o that won't mako you cr|ngo: RoIax tor at Ioaat haIt an
hour botoro you go to aIoo.
Whon you schodu|o oach day you shou|d a|ways |nd|cato
a cutott po|nt whon you w||| stop a|| work. On a ||ght day,
oar|y |n a somostor or r|ght attor oxams, th|s cutott may bo
ro|at|vo|y oar|y |n tho ovon|ng. Wh|ch |s groat, go out and
onjoy! 3ut dur|ng tho |nov|tab|o busy strotchos, you w|||
a|ways havo moro work than you can accomp||sh on any
g|von day, so tor your own wo||-bo|ng you havo to |mposo a
doad||no on your da||y chaos. |or mo, dur|ng t|na|s and
m|dtorms, th|s cutott was usua||y around o|ovon l.V., but tho
spoc|t|c t|mo roa||y doponds on tho urgoncy ot your
work|oad and whon you typ|ca||y go to bod.
|oro |s what's |mportant: attor you pass your da||y work
cutott po|nt, novor movo r|ght |nto s|oop. lt you go to bod
w|th tho strossos ot tho day trosh on your m|nd, you w|||
havo a hardor t|mo ta|||ng as|oop, and psycho|og|ca||y you
dony your m|nd tho chanco to rocovor trom tho prossuros ot
tho day. lnstoad, you shou|d a|ways ro|ax tor at |oast ha|t an
hour botoro go|ng to s|oop. Watch a 1v show, road, p|ay
your gu|tar, ta|k to a tr|ond. lt doosn't mattor what you do, as
|ong as |t doosn't |nvo|vo any schoo|work and |t makos you
happy. |urthormoro, roa||y mako an ottort dur|ng th|s t|mo to
comp|oto|y b|ock out thoughts about upcom|ng ob||gat|ons
or work doad||nos. 3omo ot tho happ|ost and most
succosstu| studonts l havo ovor mot possoss an a|most
suporhuman ab|||ty to shut ott strosstu| thoughts onco thoy
doc|do thoy aro dono tor tho day. 1h|s |s a pract|cod sk|||,
ono you shou|d work on.
Whon you cons|stont|y ta|| as|oop ro|axod, you s|oop
bottor, you aro happ|or, and you havo moro onorgy tho noxt
day. 1ho work |ost to your n|ghtt|mo ro|axat|on w||| bo moro
than componsatod tor by your rotroshod sp|r|t tho noxt
morn|ng.



7bo typlco| stoooot stratogy tor wr|t|ng a papor, study|ng
tor a tost, rosoarch|ng a projoct, comp|ot|ng an app||cat|on,
or work|ng on any othor b|g ass|gnmont |s to t|guro out tho
abso|uto |atost po|nt at wh|ch thoy can start work|ng and st|||
t|n|sh by tho doad||no. 1ho gonor|c way ot doscr|b|ng th|s
approach |s to start s|ow, ond tast. You probab|y rocogn|zo
tho downs|dos ot hav|ng such a strosstu| ph||osophy. lt
bas|ca||y onsuros that you max|m|zo tho amount ot trant|c
rush|ng |nvo|vod w|th ovory ass|gnmont you work on. A |ot ot
studonts unw|tt|ng|y to||ow th|s approach, and th|s |s why so
many ot thom burn out at co||ogo. |ortunato|y, thoro aro
a|tornat|vos. ln th|s book, wo havo doscr|bod sovora|
spoc|t|c stratog|os tor countor|ng th|s prob|omat|c
ph||osophy. 1horo was lu|o #4, 3tart long-1orm lrojocts
tho 0ay 1hoy Aro Ass|gnod', lu|o #20, 3tart 3tudy|ng 1wo
Wooks |n Advanco', and lu|o #41, Uso 1hroo 0ays to
Wr|to a lapor.' 3ut th|s m|nd-sot |s so |ngra|nod |n
studonts, and so damag|ng, |t warrants a ru|o ot |ts own. 1o
bo a auccoaatuI atudont, you muat abandon tho atart-
aIow, ond-taat mind-aot, and inatoad aroach aII
ro[octa by aiming to atart taat, ond aIow. lt's a subt|o
var|at|on, but |t makos a b|g d|ttoronco.
1ako, tor oxamp|o, a tund|ng proposa| tor a c|ub you run.
lt you havo two wooks to t|n|sh |t, p|an to havo most ot |t
dono by tho ond ot tho t|rst wook. 1ho day botoro you |oavo
tor spr|ng vacat|on, do your pack|ng |n tho morn|ng, not |ato
at n|ght. lt you havo a b|g c|ass prosontat|on to rosoarch,
comp|oto tho work w|th days to sparo. lo mattor how b|g or
how sma|| tho ass|gnmont, got |n tho hab|t ot start|ng tast
and ond|ng s|ow. |t you mako a po|nt ot gott|ng as much
accomp||shod as oar|y as poss|b|o, your ||to w||| bo
s|gn|t|cant|y |oss trant|c. 1h|s |s a tundamonta| sh|tt |n how
most studonts approach tho|r work, but |t you g|vo |t a try,
you w||| bocomo much moro succosstu|.



lovo yoo ovor onjoyod a cup ot morn|ng cottoo wh||o
watch|ng tho sun r|so ovor tho lar|s|an c|tyscapo? |avo
you ovor spont a |azy attornoon |n tho shadow ot 3t. lotor's
3as|||ca |n lomo? |avo you ovor wandorod tho stroots ot
lraguo, contont to just tako |n tho toro|gn amb|onco?
lmag|no hav|ng oxpor|oncos ||ko thoso ovory day tor throo
months or moro. lmag|no how bonot|c|a| |t wou|d bo tor you
to oxp|oro tho wor|d wh||o you aro st||| young, to tako |n
othor cu|turos, to |oarn a now |anguago, to got a hugo now
sonso ot porspoct|vo on your ||to. 1horo |s an oasy way to
mako a|| ot th|s a roa||ty: 5ond a aomoator atudying
abroad.
A|most ovory co||ogo has study abroad programs. 3omo
aro |anguago-tocusod, whoro you ||vo w|th a tam||y and try
to bu||d t|uoncy |n tho|r nat|vo |anguago through cu|tura|
|mmors|on. Othors aro tocusod on spoc|t|c acadom|c
concontrat|ons, ||ko art h|story, whoro studonts can travo| to
||oronco to study lta||an rona|ssanco art and arch|tocturo.
And |t's not just ||bora| arts majors who go on thoso tr|ps. lt's
not uncommon tor an Earth sc|onco program to sponsor a
torm |n Atr|ca, or a b|o|ogy program to sond studonts to tho
Ga|apagos ls|ands. ln short, thoro |s a study abroad
opportun|ty tor bas|ca||y any studont who |s |ntorostod. Yoo
shou|d bo |ntorostod.
1horo aro many bonot|ts to go|ng abroad. 1o start w|th,
novor aga|n |n your ||to w||| |t bo th|s oasy to spond so much
t|mo ovorsoas. 1ho schoo| takos caro ot a|| tho dota||s. 1ho
monoy |s hand|od as part ot your tu|t|on, and you'ro gott|ng
courso crod|t, so you'ro not sacr|t|c|ng anyth|ng to mako tho
oxpor|onco poss|b|o. lt's a sad but truo tact that un|oss you
bocomo |ndopondont|y woa|thy, thoro w||| bo tow
opportun|t|os |ator |n ||to to drop ovoryth|ng and spond a
who|o soason oxp|or|ng a toro|gn country.
Wh||o thoro, you w||| a|so havo tho ||to-chang|ng
oxpor|onco ot tru|y com|ng to undorstand anothor cu|turo.
1h|s g|oba| porspoct|vo w||| |ntorm ovory aspoct ot your ||to,
trom tho way you road a nowspapor to tho way you shapo
your caroor to your v|ows on Amor|can po||t|cs. You w||| a|so
most ||ko|y p|ck up a socond |anguago, wh|ch |ooks good
on your rosumo and |s a wondortu| sk||| that you can uso tor
yoars to como. And most |mportant, go|ng abroad |s a tun
and oxc|t|ng th|ng to do that w||| mako you a moro
|ntorost|ng, mu|t|tacotod porson. Why not tako advantago ot
such an opportun|ty?
1horo |s, howovor, ono cavoat: you havo to chooso tho
r|ght program. Vost schoo|s havo two typos ot toro|gn study
programs: t|utt programs and sor|ous onos. 1ho t|utt
programs typ|ca||y |nvo|vo tho Amor|cans sk|pp|ng c|assos,
dr|nk|ng ||ko |t's tho|r job, soc|a||z|ng on|y w|th ono anothor,
and |n gonora| oxpor|onc|ng vory ||tt|o ot tho actua| cu|turo.
1ho sor|ous programs, on tho othor hand, aro structurod |n
such a way as to oncourago tho studonts to actua||y
botr|ond toro|gnors, spond t|mo away trom tho group,
onhanco |anguago sk|||s, cont|nuo w|th substant|a|
acadom|cs, and croato an authont|c ovora|| oxpor|onco. 3o
whon you doc|do wh|ch programs to app|y tor, ta|k to
studonts who havo a|roady boon on tho tr|ps. 1h|s |s tho
bost way to ascorta|n tho truo charactor ot a part|cu|ar
program. 1horo's a b|g d|ttoronco botwoon study|ng
Eng||sh ||toraturo at Oxtord and hoad|ng to Gormany tor
throo months ot pub craw||ng.
A|so koop |n m|nd that app||cat|ons tor study|ng abroad
aro usua||y duo somot|mo dur|ng your sophomoro yoar.
1hoy a|so typ|ca||y roqu|ro that you tako corta|n proroqu|s|to
coursos botoro you app|y, so you shou|d start |ook|ng |nto
th|s opportun|ty oar|y |n your co||og|ato caroor to mako suro
you aro proparod.
3tudy|ng abroad |s a onco-|n-a-||tot|mo oxpor|onco.
0on't |ot |t pass you by.



boo lotorvlowlog poop|o tor th|s book, l camo across ono
studont |n part|cu|ar who soomod to possoss a wondortu|
sonso ot contontmont. |o was ot courso oxtraord|nar||y
accomp||shod, but h|s happ|noss d|d not stom trom spoc|t|c
ach|ovomonts. |o soomod to bo |mmuno to tho prossuros
or strossos ot bocom|ng a top-t|or studont. lntr|guod, l
pushod h|m to rovoa| moro about h|s ph||osophy on ||to, tho
root ot h|s contontmont. And ho t|na||y rowardod mo w|th a
s|mp|o p|oco ot adv|co: Don't havo no rogrota." 1h|s
sago qu|p had boon passod to h|m by a tam||y tr|ond whom
ho groat|y adm|rod, and ho had takon tho words to hoart.
1o not havo no rogrots' |s to approach ||to w|th a sonso
ot oxc|tomont and poss|b|||ty. lt's to bo happy about your
opportun|t|os, not your succossos. 1ho tact that you aro
ab|o to havo tho oxpor|onco ot go|ng tor a major award,
pursu|ng an |ntorost|ng rosoarch projoct, or start|ng a
studont organ|zat|on |s a groat att|rmat|on ot your zost tor
||to. lt you ta||, why wasto t|mo w|th rogrots? 3o thanktu| tor
tho oxpor|onco and ask what's noxt?
tho oxpor|onco and ask what's noxt?
l conc|udo th|s book w|th thoso words bocauso l bo||ovo
that pursu|ng your amb|t|ons tor tho r|ght roasons |s moro
|mportant than any spoc|t|c stratogy tor succood|ng at
co||ogo. lt you want to succood bocauso you ||ko tho
attont|on, thon th|s book can't ho|p you. lt you want succood
to provo yourso|t to othors, thon th|s book can't ho|p you. lt
you want to succood bocauso you onjoy adu|at|on and
pra|so, thon th|s book can't ho|p you. You w||| novor roa||y
w|n, bocauso tho toar ot ta||uro w||| a|ways bo |urk|ng
around tho noxt cornor.
lt, howovor, you want to succood bocauso you |ovo tho
oxc|tomont ot push|ng your potont|a| and oxp|or|ng your
wor|d and now oxpor|oncos, |t you want to succood
bocauso ||to |s short and why not t||| |t w|th as much act|v|ty
as poss|b|o, thon you wl|| w|n. lt you approach ||to w|th an
att|tudo ot novor hav|ng rogrots and a|ways hav|ng a
hopotu| sm||o on your taco, you can t|nd a moasuro ot
succoss |n a|| your ondoavors. 0on't havo no rogrots, but
havo p|onty ot tun a|ong tho way. ln tho ond, that |s what |t |s
to roa||y w|n.

AcknowIodgmonta

l wou|d ||ko to thank a|| tho oxtraord|nary studonts who
ho|pod |nsp|ro tho ru|os toaturod |n th|s book. 1ho|r |ns|ghts
mado th|s projoct poss|b|o. l wou|d a|so ||ko to thank my
amaz|ng agont, laur|o Abkomo|or, tor hor oxtraord|nary
ottorts |n gott|ng th|s |doa trom tho provorb|a| draw|ng
board to tho pr|ntod pago, and my t|ro|oss od|tor, Ann
Campbo||, who ho|pod mo t|nd my vo|co and succosstu||y
transtor |nto words tho doop pass|on l too| tor th|s top|c.

About tho Author
Ca| lowport graduatod summa cum |audo trom 0artmouth
Co||ogo and |s curront|y pursu|ng a lh.0. |n computor
sc|onco at tho Vassachusotts lnst|tuto ot 1ochno|ogy. ||s
wr|t|ng on co||ogo ||to and studont succoss has appoarod |n
Co||ogo Boooo Vogozloo, Boslooss 7oooy magaz|no, tho
low York 0a||y lows On||no, 7bo o|| 5troot 1ooroo|'s
Co||ogo 1ooroo|, 3tudontloador.com,
lat|ona|lampoon.com, 3tudont.com, and vau|t.com.
|OW 1O Wll A1 COllEGE. Copyr|ght t 200b by CAl lEWlOl1.
A|| r|ghts rosorvod. lo part ot th|s book may bo roproducod
or transm|ttod |n any torm or by any moans, o|octron|c or
mochan|ca|, |nc|ud|ng photocopy|ng, rocord|ng, or by any
|ntormat|on storago and rotr|ova| systom, w|thout wr|tton
porm|ss|on trom tho pub||shor. |or |ntormat|on, addross
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3lOA0WAY 3OOK3 and |ts |ogo, a |ottor 3 b|soctod on tho
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v|s|t our wobs|to at
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l|brary ot Congross Cata|og|ng-|n-lub||cat|on 0ata
lowport, Ca|.
|ow to w|n at co||ogo : surpr|s|ng socrots tor succoss
trom tho country's top studonts / Ca| lowport.
p. cm.
ol33l 0-7070-2022-8
1. Co||ogo studont or|ontat|on. l. 1|t|o.
l32848.8.l40 200b
878.1'08-dc22
20040b1880
v1.0