1) Stay​ ​Well​ ​Rested

Throughout​ ​one’s​ ​formative​ ​and​ ​academic​ ​years,​ ​getting​ ​eight​ ​hours​ ​of​ ​sleep​ ​has​ ​come to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​trite​ ​but​ ​true​ ​concept.​ ​

Obtaining​ ​enough​ ​sleep​ ​is​ ​essential​ ​to​ ​academic​ ​success​ ​and​ ​will provide​ ​one​ ​with​ ​the​ ​sufficient​ ​amount​ ​of​ ​energy​ ​needed​ ​to​ ​handle​ ​life​ ​as​ ​a​ ​Wilkes​ ​student.​ ​

For freshmen​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​upperclassmen,​ ​attaining​ ​less​ ​than​ ​eight​ ​hours​ ​of​ ​sleep​ ​in​ ​high​ ​school​ ​was likely​ ​feasible,​ ​though​ ​in​ ​college,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​quite​ ​the​ ​contrary.​ ​

According​ ​to​ ​an​ ​article​ ​from​ ​Science Daily,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​said​ ​that​ ​“students​ ​with​ ​more​ ​regular​ ​sleeping​ ​patterns​ ​had​ ​better​ ​school​ ​grades​ ​on average.”

This​ ​finding​ ​may​ ​appear​ ​to​ ​be​ ​common​ ​knowledge,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​science​ ​is​ ​much​ ​deeper.​

​It is​ ​suggested​ ​that​ ​the​ ​circadian​ ​rhythm​ ​of​ ​students​ ​with​ ​irregular​ ​sleep​ ​schedules,​ ​as​ ​compared​ ​to students​ ​who​ ​had​ ​consistent​ ​sleeping​ ​schedules,​ ​displayed​ ​a​ ​shift​ ​of​ ​approximately​ ​three​ ​hours.

Subsequently,​ ​melatonin​ ​is​ ​distributed​ ​approximately​ ​2.6​ ​hours​ ​later ​in​ ​students​ ​who​ ​sustain irregular​ ​sleeping​ ​patterns.​ ​With​ ​that​ ​being​ ​said,​ ​why​ ​not​ ​try​ ​going​ ​to​ ​sleep​ ​earlier​ ​this​ ​semester because,​ ​well — science.

2)Stay​ ​Organized

Wilkes​ ​University​ ​is​ ​home​ ​to​ ​a​ ​broad​ ​range​ ​of​ ​clubs,​ ​organizations,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​rigorous academic​ ​curriculum​ ​that​ ​is​ ​sure​ ​to​ ​simultaneously​ ​challenge​ ​and​ ​entertain​ ​you.​ ​

If you attended​ ​the Wilkes​ ​University​ ​Club​ ​Day​ ​event,​ ​you were​ ​informed​ ​via​ ​email​ ​about​ ​the​ ​local​ ​happenings​ ​on campus​ ​and​ ​it​ ​may​ ​be​ ​overwhelming,​ ​especially​ ​your​ ​freshman​ ​year.​

In​ ​order​ ​to​ ​combat​ ​this, make​ ​sure​ ​to​ ​get​ ​a​ ​physical​ ​and/or​ ​digital​ ​agenda. This​ ​will​ ​give​ ​you​ ​the​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​quickly​ ​note all​ ​of​ ​your​ ​activities​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​academic​ ​assignments.​ It is important to look at your class syllabus, and plan ahead.

Making​ ​a​ ​“mental​ ​note”​ ​is​ ​a​ ​tried​ ​and​ ​true pitfall​ ​that​ ​will​ ​eventually​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​forgetting​ ​about​ ​assignments,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​attending​ ​your​ ​favorite campus​ ​activities.​

So​ ​clear​ ​your​ ​mind​ ​and​ ​leave​ ​the​ ​hard​ ​work​ ​to​ ​your​ ​agenda,​ ​it’s​ ​similar​ ​to having​ ​a​ ​portable​ ​secretary.

3) Develop​ ​a​ ​Healthy​ ​Routine

As​ ​the​ ​semester​ ​draws​ ​forward​ ​you​ ​may​ ​find​ ​that​ ​your​ ​academic​ ​schedule​ ​is​ ​etched​ ​in your​ ​mind​ ​and​ ​you’re​ ​beginning​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​a​ ​routine.​ ​

After​ ​completing​ ​my​ ​freshmen​ ​year​ ​at Wilkes​ ​University,​ ​I’d​ ​like​ ​to​ ​offer​ ​a​ ​few​ ​tips​ ​to​ ​add​ ​to​ ​your​ ​already​ ​established​ ​queue​.​

​For​ ​one, it​ ​is​ ​vital​ ​to​ ​nourish​ ​your​ ​body​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​your​ ​mind.​ ​In​ ​other​ ​words,​ ​take​ ​advantage​ ​of​ ​the​ ​local YMCA, ​which​ ​offers​ ​a​ ​free​ ​membership​ ​to​ ​students​, ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​the​ ​healthy​ ​selections​ ​of​ ​food​ ​at Henry’s​ ​Food​ ​Court.​ ​The​ ​freshman​ ​fifteen​ ​is​ ​very​ ​real​ ​and​ ​with​ ​this​ ​tip,​ ​I​ ​avoided​ ​it,​ ​and​ ​so​ ​can you.​ ​

Also,​ ​live​ ​by​ ​the​ ​platitude​ ​that​ ​“the​ ​early​ ​bird​ ​gets​ ​the​ ​worm.” ​No​ ​matter​ ​what,​ ​make​ ​a concerted​ ​effort​ ​to​ ​be​ ​as​ ​early​ ​as​ ​possible​ ​to​ ​any​ ​class​ ​you​ ​have​, ​as​ ​it​ ​is​ ​advantageous​ ​to​ ​you academically.​ ​

And​ ​last​ ​but​ ​not​ ​least,​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​to​ ​review​ ​everything​ ​you​ ​learn​ ​in​ ​your​ ​lectures on​ ​a​ ​daily​ ​basis​ ​so​ ​that​ ​cramming​ ​is​ ​unnecessary,. You’ll​ ​thank​ ​me​ ​later.

4) Read​ ​for​ ​Pleasure

One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​pleasurable​ ​pastimes​ ​is​ ​reading​ ​for​ ​leisure.​ ​Engaging​ ​in​ ​a​ ​thought provoking,​ ​enjoyable​ ​novel​ ​is​ ​a​ ​great​ ​way​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​your​ ​mind​ ​fresh​ ​and​ ​ready​ ​to​ ​take​ ​on​ ​your assignments.​ ​

Whether​ ​you’re​ ​an​ ​English,​ ​sports​ ​management,​ ​engineering,​ ​sociology ​or biology ​major;​ ​reading​ ​will​ ​always​ ​pose​ ​a​ ​benefit​ ​to​ ​you​ ​on​ ​an​ ​intellectual​ ​level.

5) Be​ ​Yourself

And​ ​last​ ​but​ ​not​ ​least,​ ​in​ ​college​ ​your​ ​top​ ​priority​ ​should​ ​be​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​that​ ​you​ ​excel within​ ​your​ ​academic​ ​endeavors.​ ​College​ ​is​ ​also​ ​a​ ​time​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​and​ ​fine​ ​tune​ ​your​ ​sense​ ​of self.​

Therefore,​ ​avoid​ ​conformity​ ​at​ ​all​ ​costs​ ​as​ ​it​ ​is​ ​another​ ​pitfall​ ​many​ ​young​ ​adults​ ​find themselves​ ​in.​ ​In​ ​order​ ​to​ ​evade​ ​conformity,​ ​attempt​ ​to​ ​pursue​ your ​goals​ ​and​ ​dreams.

“​Understand​ ​that​ ​the​ ​right​ ​to​ ​choose​ ​your​ ​own​ ​path​ ​is​ ​a​ ​sacred​ ​privilege.​ ​Use​ ​it.​ ​Dwell​ ​in possibility”.​ ​-Oprah​ ​Winfrey