College Success (University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing)

Success is something we all strive for – to constantly improve ourselves. However, it can be difficult to pivot one’s method of achieving their goals in the new and uncertain plane of university, especially in one’s first year.

This guidebook outlines some tried-and-true ways to make the most of every aspect of college life: from discovering your own unique college experience, to how to best take useful class notes, all the way to preparing for the creation of future career success, College Success is a great starting point for young people – either eager to start tertiary education or who are already studying at an accredited institution – to ameliorate their understanding of how to most efficiently do their best in university.

As you’re reading this in likely sunny Bermuda, I have returned to the University of Warwick in the rainy and ever-cloudy UK (maybe a dash of sunlight if I’m lucky …) for my second term as a fresher!

My month-long Christmas break was an excellent period to recharge, but now it’s time to hit the books again.

As such, getting advice on how to ensure my second term is as positive as possible is a key part of my self-growth process.

College Success effectively breaks down the different stages of improvement by giving students an opportunity to gauge their current status/skill set on a variety of prompts at the beginning of every chapter with the quick tick of a box.

After understanding their starting point in the “Where Are You Now?” section, they are propelled into the “Where Do You Want to Go?” rating board, which is followed by a “How to Get There” portion alongside the relevant material.

I appreciate this clear sense of direction, as it shows that everything is fixable with the appropriate amount of effort that aligns with your academic intentions.

My personal advice is to practise being intentional with the time you invest in projects and people: I believe the fifth chapter, focused on active reading, captured this concept well.

The chapter in question, “Reading to Learn”, defines active reading as “a planned, deliberate set of strategies to engage with text-based materials with the purpose of increasing your understanding”.

I found the detail in this chapter the most useful due to the sheer volume of literary texts I am expected to consistently read, understand, and generate interesting takes on in my Philosophy, Politics and Economics degree.

To avoid rereading, allocating one’s time to chip away at the work in smaller chunks – as opposed to cramming, which is a largely unsuccessful and unsustainable tactic – is illustrated in this section.

This is a useful time management tool for procrastinators … or for astrology enthusiasts when Mercury is in retrograde (aka me).

Regardless, College Success shares many tips, tricks, and lifelong lessons in order to mature as a student in the short and long term.

I would recommend incorporating all that you find valuable into your 2024 life as some personal development new year’s resolutions!

I wish the best new year to you and your families, but before we get caught up in what’s to come, remember to be thankful for the beautiful opportunities and moments that 2023 gave us. For example, this column!

As I grow roots abroad at university, I remain grateful for the plethora of opportunities that Bermuda has – and continues – to offer me as well as to other promising young people on island.

Additionally, I think it’s worth mentioning that whilst there are tons of university success guidebooks, there is no clear road map or one-size-fits-all approach to do well at school.

It’s all up to you, the student, and with the support and love of your devoted friends and family, I wish you all the best!

My own first term reflections prompted me to review such an academic-oriented book, as I found the interactive component to be highly engaging, and critical in showing me some of my development areas in a methodical and coherent way, and therefore could be of some benefit to students becoming more involved with college.

In essence, I would recommend College Success to both students looking to step their game up to the next level, as well as parents who are looking to better understand what success in this new landscape of uber-competitive university admissions/retention looks like, plus how to best support their teen once they have enrolled and begun studying.

Immersing yourself in such an incredibly different environment will no-doubt be challenging, but I believe that College Success is a helpful starter-pack that will surely add value to your uni life.

Whether it’s navigating the complex and culturally robust social scene by keeping an open mind or taking control of your budget by making and managing your own money, College Success has some tools for all parts of your new and exciting tertiary education journey.

Build a fresh whole new way of showing up to your day in a disciplined yet comfortable mindset with the help of College Success. For any other recommendations on useful university-related books, e-mail me at bookspacebda@gmail.com or share these titles in the comments.

On a final note, I would also like to hear your thoughts on my column; for any comments on College Success or simply to give me a book recommendation of whatever you’re reading at the moment (I appreciate all messages from members of our community!), contact me at bookspacebda@gmail.com to tell me all about it.

Big thanks (or as I should say in UK slang, “big up”) to everyone who has supported me on my path to where I am now! I am so appreciative to have this platform as a columnist at The Royal Gazette thanks to Dexter Smith and Heather Wood believing in my vision! Cheers to more Must-Reads for Youth reviews in 2024!

My new year’s resolution – likely for 2024 and 2025 – is to read a meaningful book from every country: your book recommendations can help me reach my goal! For frequent updates on what I’m currently reading, follow @bookspacebda on Instagram.