While most people are well-intentioned when they share advice with others, there are many times when this advice isn’t as great as it might seem at first glance.
This can be especially true for college students. Many people have advice for college students that paid off when they went to college without realizing that this advice can cause more harm than good.
Here are some common pieces of advice that won’t necessarily pay off for college students:
Stick to your first major
The sunk-cost fallacy makes a lot of students feel like they need to continue with a major they don’t like simply because they have spent a lot of time and money working toward this major.
While you don’t want to switch your major all the time, making a switch that is going to lead to a more fulfilling career path and a successful academic career will be well worth the change.
You don’t want to spend your entire college experience taking courses that you don’t like or working toward a career you don’t want. If your coursework leads you to a new path of study that you are passionate about, feel free to explore it.
Don’t get trapped in a major you hate just because it was the option you originally declared. Feel free to switch your major to something that will be a better fit for you.
What should you do instead?
If you think you may want to change your major, meet with your academic advisor and discuss your options and the best way to make this change without accruing too many additional costs and too much extra time.
Study 3 hours per credit hour each week
Many people tell college freshmen that they should spend about 3 hours studying for every credit hour they are taking. This means if they are taking a 3 credit hour course, they should spend 9 hours studying for that class during the week.
Well the people who share this advice mean well, this isn’t great advice for college students.
For one, following this advice means that students are going to spend far more time than they need to spend studying for certain courses and not nearly enough time studying for other subjects.
If math is one of your strengths, and you are doing well in Calculus, you probably shouldn’t spend a ton of your limited time studying for this class when that time could be better spent studying for a subject that is a struggle for you.
Also, spending 3 hours per credit hour is not going to be feasible, especially if you want to get adequate rest and maintain a social life. If you have 15 credit hours on your schedule, spending 45 hours studying during the week is going to be difficult.
Finally, how you use your study time is far more important than the amount of time you spend studying. You can spend 100 hours studying for a class, but if you aren’t studying effectively, you are just wasting your time. Focus less on the amount of time you’re studying and more on how you are studying.
What should you do instead?
Instead of following this arbitrary study advice, take the time to discover your strengths and weaknesses, and make a study plan that will help you study effectively.
Take late classes
Some people will suggest college students take late classes so that they can sleep in after studying or partying all night. After all, no one wants to take an 8 am, right?
Although this may work for some students, there are others who learn best in the morning, and they would benefit from taking classes early in the morning. If you struggle to stay awake or focus late in the day, you probably don’t want to schedule your toughest courses for this time.
What should you do instead?
Instead of taking late classes late in the day because others recommend it, figure out when you learn and study best. If you are motivated to complete your homework early in the morning, and you learn well in the afternoon, then late classes may work for you. However, if you are going to be more focused on retaining information in the morning, and you study best in the evenings, you should opt for early classes.
Remember your college years will be the best of your life
If you’re a college student, you’ve probably heard people say that your college years are going to be the best years of your life.
While you are likely going to have experiences, make friendships, and participate in opportunities that you will cherish for years to come, this advice is not as helpful as it may seem.
If you’re always thinking about how college will be the best time of your life, you may feel discouraged if you have negative experiences. It’s important for you to remember that it’s normal to have ups and downs, even in college.
There are going to be days when you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed by your coursework. There may be times when you feel anxious or depressed. There may be situations that you feel cannot end soon enough.
These hardships are okay, and they don’t mean that you are doing something “wrong” or that there is something wrong with you.
When people are so focused on making every day incredible, they might not feel like it is okay for them to reach out to others if they are struggling.
Another reason why this advice isn’t the best is that it puts limitations on your future. It is better to live life thinking that the best is yet to come than to believe that everything in life will go downhill after you graduate.
What should you do instead?
Instead of clinging to the idea that every day in college should be amazing, remember that highs and lows are a normal part of life. You should also consider reaching out to friends, family, loved ones, or a therapist if you are struggling.
