High school and college are completely different in the way you approach them as a student. As a new college student, I have learned that there is so much more freedom and responsibility. In the movie ‘Spider-Man,’ Uncle Ben said that “With great power comes great responsibility.” I feel like that is so true in college because there is so much power in freedom that any little mistake or wrong choice made may take a long time to catch up to where one left off. In high school, majority of the students are babied and spoon fed everything they need. However, when in college, you even want an education or you do not want an education…And like my mom has always told me, “Nothing in life is free!” In reading this essay, the author has helped me come to realize on how to approach college.
The author of this essay is a college professor who gives his outlook, tips, and advice to students on how to succeed in college. I found this essay helpful and interesting coming from a teacher because it helped me understand on how they look at things. Also, with the author being a college professor, the tone is a little different than it would be if a school bus driver or a chef were the author. The author’s tone is neutral and positive at the same time.
The author’s tone of this essay is so impassioned in students succeeding in college. As the reader and a part of the audience, it shows me that the author is not just writing because he has to. The author really cares about his job and students doing well. His attitude toward the topic is very fervent. You can tell this by when the author goes to say, “Following my advice will lead you to a better job when you graduate.”
The author’s tone is also realistic, but at the same time, he is humorous in a way. He says things as they are and does not try to tidy it up. For example, he stresses that “if you are nice to your professors that there is a real good chance that they will be nice to you.” One piece of advice the author said that I liked was laugh at the professor’s jokes, that it will help the professor get to know the student in a positive way.
The purpose for students to go to school is to get an education so they can get a job. The author uses this specific tone to help students grasp the meaning of the purpose. Also, when a freshman reads this essay, the author wants the student to feel motivated and want to reach their PURPOSE. This tone helps get across to college freshman in a more effective way.
With the author being who he is, a professor, I think this was the most effective tone. This tone fit in great because students are more bound to listen to a professor on the topic of ‘How to do Really Well in College’ than to someone else like I said earlier. A professor can just relate better to students because they see the way students act, behave, and so many other things on a daily basis.
The four pieces of advice that stood out the most to me were treat college like a job, read the syllabus carefully, keep the professor happy, and read. All of these pieces of advice is helpful to me and I am sure it will be helpful to every other college student out there.
Treating college like a job will help you manage your time better. A job is forty hours a week, so if you go to class for fifteen hours in a week, that leaves twenty-five hours outside of class to study and stay on top of your classes. It’s your job so do it well.
Sometimes, I would find myself not reading the syllabus the teacher handed me on the first day of school. However, I have quickly learned not to do that. The syllabus is very important and has much information about who the teacher is, what they expect, and how the class works so make sure you read it regularly.
When I read the piece of advice about keeping your professor happy, it made me think of the saying, “When Mama is not happy, no one is happy.” Everything you do is a reflection of yourself. A teacher is more likely to give a break to a student who has made the effort than to a student who hasn’t.
Reading is also super important and useful for college students. Reading has many advantages and benefits. You learn a lot of information, it helps you become a better writer, reading gets you into the habit of reading, and it relaxes you. Read, read, read. This one is very hard for me. I struggle at making myself read.
I have not been in college long at all so I am still learning how to stay on top of my classes and succeed, but I have experienced some things that could be helpful advice for upcoming freshman. In college, you have to adjust to your teacher, your teacher doesn’t adjust to you. You don’t have many quizzes or tests so when you do, make sure you make them count because it’s hard to bring grades up. Last but not least, sometimes you have to teach yourself everything.
