Many of the decisions you make today are reversible. You can change your major, your career, and even your life goals. It is important, however, to take control of your life by establishing your own goals for the future, using those goals to set your priorities, and managing your time and motivation accordingly. Many first-year students, especially recent high school graduates, might temporarily forget their primary purposes for coming to college, lose sight of their goals, and lose motivation during difficult or less engaging parts of their college experience. In other instances they may spend their first term of college engaging in a wide array of new experiences, which is OK to do within limits. Some students, though, spend the next four or five years trying to make up for poor decisions they made early in their college careers, such as skipping class and not taking their assignments seriously. Such decisions can lead to plummeting grade point averages (GPAs) and the threat of academic probation or, worse, academic dismissal. Staying focused means always keeping your eyes on your most important purposes for being in college. Ask yourself whether what you are doing at any moment contributes to, or detracts from, those purposes.

Many students of all ages question their decision to attend college and might sometimes feel overwhelmed by the additional responsibilities it brings. Prioritizing, rethinking some commitments, letting some things go, and weighing the advantages and disadvantages of attending school part-time versus full-time can help you work through this adjustment period. Again, keep your long-term goals in mind and find ways to manage your stress rather than reacting to it. Although this book is full of suggestions for enhancing academic success, the bottom line is to stay focused and take control of your time and your life. Make a plan that begins with your priorities: attending classes, studying, working, and spending time with the people who are important to you. Then think about the necessities of life: sleeping, eating, exercising, and relaxing. Leave time for fun things such as talking with friends, checking out Facebook, watching TV, and going out, but finish what needs to be done before you move from work to pleasure. Also, don’t forget about personal time. If you live in a residence hall or share an apartment with other students, talk with your roommates about how you can coordinate your class schedules so that each of you has some privacy. If you live with your family, particularly if you are a parent, work together to create special family times as well as quiet study times.