Ally's college tips-some of these were learned the hard way

1, Stay organized. Buy a planner and go through your syllabuses and write due dates, what chapters you are on. I do this and it helps.

2, Meet your teachers. Get to know them and ask questions, don't hesitate to visit them during office hours. They want you to succeed and I think that they like being asked for help.

3, Join a club. You'll meet people and network. 

4, Take advantage of on campus resources. Need math tutoring? Hit up the math lab. Need help with a learning disability? The DRC has your back. 

5, Make sure that you have at least 3 hours of downtime a week planned. It'll help you mentally recharge and you'll do better in school.

6, Make a daily to do list listing it highest to lowest priority. It'll help you stay on track with your work.

7, Do not procrastinate. Trust me on this, instructors can tell when an essay is written an hour before it's due. Plus, it adds stress. 

8. Get to know your academic advisor. This person will be your wingman while at NIU and will help you succeed. Make sure you meet with them once per semester to plan your next semester's classes, they will also help keep you on track. 

9, Keep on top of your work. If you fall behind it's hard to catch up. Even if this means ditching a night out with friends to work on that math assignment do it, you can hang with your friends later.

10, Ask questions. You won't sound stupid, you are here to learn. Asking questions is part of the process of learning. 

Hello

Hi, I thought I would introduce myself, I'm Ally and I attend Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, I'm an older student who recently returned to school to finish up my degree and am loving college life. As an older student it can be a challenge , the point of this blog is to document my journey at NIU and hopefully, convince others that returning to school as an older student can be an adventure. So brew some coffee, pop some popcorn, and sit back and enjoy my adventures!