Post by Deraj on Dec 17, 2008 9:39:08 GMT -5
Well, I realize that many of us are around that age, so I figured that we may as well share all of our knowledge.
So what are the most important parts of college? Sleep and food. Next comes organization, then probably outsideliness.
Sleep
First thing you have to know is Circadian Rythms. You cannot just sleep 8 hours per day, but instead you should sleep at the same time. But first; How much sleep should you get? You should sleep less than 9 hours per day, and more than 5. If you find that you will get less than 4, do not sleep that day. If you only sleep 4 hours, your body will settle into REM, but not enough to rest, leaving you worn for the rest of the day. If you skip a nights sleep, should you sleep extra the next night? NO. Settle back into your rythm. That is the key. Rythms. But what if you can't settle into a rythm? You don't want drugs, because you can form a dependancy. You want this.
Depending on your classes, you should generally go to bed between midnight and 1, then wake up between 7am and 9am.
Food
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. No, seriously. Breakfast will wake you up and keep you focused. It also aids in energy, as I will explain later. Eat a large breakfast, a medium lunch, and a small dinner. Better yet, skip dinner and snack between 1pm and 6pm. This gives you 6-7 hours to... not be sleeping on your food. Also, do not drink sugary drinks after 5pm.
Caffeine
Seriously, only use this in case of an emergency, do not drink more than one energy drink per day or 2 cups of coffee. Don't drink them more than 4 days a week. Also, *important* Do not drink an energy drink without eating. Energy drinks are a poison, and they do not wake you up. They keep you awake. If you eat, the food will wake you up and cancle most of the ill side effects.
Organization, or Time Management.
I'm not saying to schedule every hour of every day... jsut weekdays. I'm joking... a little. Schedule time for showers, food, sleep, and your classes. Then, whenever you are assigned homework or told about a test or exam, schedule your time for it right away. Put what you need for the exam or homework where you will find it.
Relaxation and Excersize
This is actually important. I could make something up, like endorphines help you think or some BS, but really, college is hard and stressful. You have to releive that stress or it will affect your mind and health. Schedule at least an hour to yourself each day to relieve stress, be it reading or painting models or playing video games. Join a club or two. They not only relieve stress, but help you meet new people.
Excersise. I can't leave this out. You may be tired or stressed, but jogging or skateboarding or swimming will actually relieve stress, not to mention the stress of college and its poor quality food will cause you to gain weight. There's a term for that. "The Freshman 15" meaning that in their first year, college students often gain approximately 15 pounds. So work it off. Personally I would schedule 3 hours a week to schedule, mainly because it is cold and snowy out right now... (Hey, classes are a mile from the dorms here, and I walk. It's at least an hour of walking a day for me...) But yeah, I would say as much as an hour a day during the warmer months.
That's all I can think of for now, please correct me where I'm wrong or add your own advice.
So what are the most important parts of college? Sleep and food. Next comes organization, then probably outsideliness.
Sleep
First thing you have to know is Circadian Rythms. You cannot just sleep 8 hours per day, but instead you should sleep at the same time. But first; How much sleep should you get? You should sleep less than 9 hours per day, and more than 5. If you find that you will get less than 4, do not sleep that day. If you only sleep 4 hours, your body will settle into REM, but not enough to rest, leaving you worn for the rest of the day. If you skip a nights sleep, should you sleep extra the next night? NO. Settle back into your rythm. That is the key. Rythms. But what if you can't settle into a rythm? You don't want drugs, because you can form a dependancy. You want this.
Depending on your classes, you should generally go to bed between midnight and 1, then wake up between 7am and 9am.
Food
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. No, seriously. Breakfast will wake you up and keep you focused. It also aids in energy, as I will explain later. Eat a large breakfast, a medium lunch, and a small dinner. Better yet, skip dinner and snack between 1pm and 6pm. This gives you 6-7 hours to... not be sleeping on your food. Also, do not drink sugary drinks after 5pm.
Caffeine
Seriously, only use this in case of an emergency, do not drink more than one energy drink per day or 2 cups of coffee. Don't drink them more than 4 days a week. Also, *important* Do not drink an energy drink without eating. Energy drinks are a poison, and they do not wake you up. They keep you awake. If you eat, the food will wake you up and cancle most of the ill side effects.
Organization, or Time Management.
I'm not saying to schedule every hour of every day... jsut weekdays. I'm joking... a little. Schedule time for showers, food, sleep, and your classes. Then, whenever you are assigned homework or told about a test or exam, schedule your time for it right away. Put what you need for the exam or homework where you will find it.
Relaxation and Excersize
This is actually important. I could make something up, like endorphines help you think or some BS, but really, college is hard and stressful. You have to releive that stress or it will affect your mind and health. Schedule at least an hour to yourself each day to relieve stress, be it reading or painting models or playing video games. Join a club or two. They not only relieve stress, but help you meet new people.
Excersise. I can't leave this out. You may be tired or stressed, but jogging or skateboarding or swimming will actually relieve stress, not to mention the stress of college and its poor quality food will cause you to gain weight. There's a term for that. "The Freshman 15" meaning that in their first year, college students often gain approximately 15 pounds. So work it off. Personally I would schedule 3 hours a week to schedule, mainly because it is cold and snowy out right now... (Hey, classes are a mile from the dorms here, and I walk. It's at least an hour of walking a day for me...) But yeah, I would say as much as an hour a day during the warmer months.
That's all I can think of for now, please correct me where I'm wrong or add your own advice.
)