Jenny Weissauer

Foran Alumni

Hey Foran!! Do you miss me already? Well, thanks to the power of the internet I can still give you my dearest advice all the way from college. Getting a glimpse of what your college experience will be like can help you create lasting habits that will help you in your future.

I know I won’t be the first to tell you that college is much different than high school. For starters you’re not in school for six hours each day. The schedule is much different, which makes it easier for studying and extra curricular activities. For example, I have four classes on Monday and Wednesday, two on Tuesday and Thursday, and only one on Friday. Having a widespread schedule means you need to use good time management. You cannot wait until the last minute to do projects and assignments like you do in high school. (I bet about a third of you are reading this article and procrastinating something in this very moment.) The reason in college they give you so much “down time” is so that you can use it wisely.

Secondly, study, study, study, and a little more study. We’ve all studied for a test the night before or sometimes not even studied at all, I know I’m guilty of it too. However, that is not going to fly in college. Most professors will tell you that for every hour that in you in class, you should study three more. So if calculate how many classes times how many hours times three…well that’s a lot of studying. No one likes to study, but it’s something that definitely needs to be done. After all you are paying a lot of money to go to school, don’t you want to do well? A study tip that I use is that I study my notes an hour before each class so that way I have a heads up of what we are going to be talking about and that way it takes the load off when studying for an even bigger test.

The last piece of advice I have for you guys is one that you can get a head start on right away. And that is to enjoy your time at Foran. I absolutely love college and have no doubts most of you will, but Foran will always be like my second home. The time goes by in the blink of an eye and before you know it you’re like me having to go back and change the title under my name from columns editor to “Foran alumni.” I guess what I’m saying is that just like you I was in a complete rush to get out, but now I realize that I could have stopped and smell the roses a little bit more.

Well Foran, I know you’re keeping that lion’s den warm for me. Have a rockin’ school year and do your best! Feel free to ask me any questions about college or swing by if you’re in the New Haven neighborhood. See you at Thanksgiving!