After Jamb and Post UTME comes admission. There’re many things every New Student in Nigeria should Learn to be Successful in school. Today, I will introduce you to 51 Things New Students Must Learn.
This article is also very important to students who are still hoping for admission into any higher institution in Nigeria. So long you don’t give up, your name will enter the admission list one day.
Any mistake made in 100 Level will always be regretted in the final year. The ones made in 200L cannot be forgotten easily. The regrets of students are what they did in 100L or refused to do.
What's in this guide?
51 Things New Students Must Learn
Do what you should do now, don’t wait for later. I have 51 Vitamins packed strategically and to carefully position you mentally for the University or Polytechnic race. Here are 51 things you must learn as a new student:
1. Love Your Study Course
Never get tired of your course of study, Love it. You may not be given your dream course; dream in your given course. Don’t let the feeling that you were not given your desired course weigh you down or affect your studies. Live in reality.
2. Ask Questions in School
Nobody knows it all. Don’t stop asking questions as a 100 level student. As a newly admitted student, admit that you need help. Remember, students who ask questions don’t get lost. Ask questions about the school you are admitted into.
3. Believe in Yourself
Sometimes, you will feel intimidated by the calibre of people you will meet in school. Don’t let that kill your confidence, Believe in yourself. Trust your ability even if nobody believes in you.
4. Identify Your Weakness
Start thinking about the things you are good at and the ones you aren’t good at. Start realising and fixing the issues you brought from home. Identify your weakness early and start to work on yourself.
5. Limit Your Friends
Everyone shouldn’t be your friend. Do not be in haste to make friends. This is one of the biggest decision you will make as a newly admitted student. So, choose friends with your eyes open. Bad friends can ruin you completely.
6. Learn to Tolerate
Never expect everyone to be like you. In school, you will meet persons with different characters. Stop judging people too early, be open-minded, don’t easily get upset at people’s behaviour. Learn to tolerate your course mates and hostel mates.
Also Read: 7 things students must know before renting
7. Set Goals
The first year in school is a good time to set goals and target. Draw out plans on the things you want and what you don’t want, decide where you would go and places you won’t enter. Be determined to be the best. Align your goals and ambition.
8. Don’t Be People Pleaser
Be yourself in school. Don’t insult or inconvenience yourself by thinking that you can make everyone happy. The worst thing to be is what others want you to be. Be yourself!
9. Save Money
First-year in school is the best time to get money from friends and relatives. The higher you go, the lesser you receive money. Your best bet is to have enough cash in your savings. You won’t regret this habit.
Also Read: 9 Simple Ways To Save Money as a Nigeria Student
10. Learn to Cook
Hundred level or ND 1 students are fond of buying everything they see around. Stop spending anyhow and start cooking. Cooking saves your money and it is a good skill to learn as well.
11. Learn to Set Targets
Start to set short and long term target. Tell yourself things like, “this is what I must achieve this week”, “My plan is to finish up this today”, your life should be all about your plan and God’s plan.
12. No Course is Difficult
This course is difficult, it is difficult to pass that course; this is what you will continuously hear. Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t pass the course. If people have graduated from the department, then they passed all the courses. You too can.
13. First Class is Possible
It is possible to be in first class. Don’t be deceived by senior students. Always aim for the grade of your dreams, if you eventually don’t get it, at least you will be very close to getting it.
14. Get Study Time
Don’t follow others, find out the best time you enjoy reading. Know when you understand better. If night class isn’t for you, don’t force yourself to do it. Find out what works best for.
15. Get Study Environment
Some read at the library, others read in class, some read in the hostel, some love to read with earpiece while others like very calm environment. No one is wrong; it is all about preference. Find out where you get the best out of studies.
16. Have a Study Plan
Don’t wait for exams to be close, create daily and weekly study plan. Ensure that you revise what was taught within a week of the class. Draft out a study timetable or schedule and be consistent with it.
17. Have A Cleaning Plan
Don’t be too serious with academics that you don’t have time to clean up your room. Always create time to clean up your room. Be a clean person even when no one watches you. Have a washing plan, wash and iron your clothes.
Also Read: Creating a budget
18. Look for a Mentor
In school, you will always find people that look like what you wish to be. Look for them and look up to them. They will guide you, teach you from their experience, give you materials and generally make life in school easier for you. You obviously can’t know it all.
19. Don’t Gossip Teachers
You are too young to be discussing your lecturers. Your aim in class is to learn, do that and move on with your life. Don’t yourself into trouble so early.
20. Don’t Give Up on Hard work
You will sometimes find reasons not to be serious, reasons to give up. These are temptations you must overcome. Never give up on your push for excellence.
21. Don’t Date Too Early
I can count up to 20 persons who go ruined academically and emotionally because of entering into a relationship too early. You don’t have any reason to rush into a relationship in school. There are many pressing issues.
22. Avoid Distractions
Distractions in school can come from anywhere. It can come from friends and even the opposite sex. Anything that goes against the main reason you are in school is a distraction; avoid them at all cost.
23. Don’t Miss Classes
Attendance matters, what is taught in class matters. Don’t let anyone advise you to miss classes.
24. Assignment Matters
In my final year, I realised that most lecturers use assignment in place of Test when there is poor performance. Attendance counts most of the time. Exam questions also come from assignments given. Apart from that, why are you in school if you can’t do an assignment?
Also Read: 10 Life-Changing Things Students Should Know
25. Test Matters
In most schools, continuous assessment carries up to 30%. You will have to fight for 70% in the examination. Tests are a major part of the continuous assessment. Don’t miss tests.
26. Be Active in Class
Don’t be a bench warmer; be active in class. Ask and answer questions, don’t be scared that people will laugh at your answers. What matters is that you are learning and that is the goal. Aim to be the best in your class.
27. Live Offline Most Times
Live life offline. Don’t be too addicted to social media. When you are reading or when classes are going on is not the best time to be online. There is a time and season for everything my dear.
28. Learn Continuously
Learn something new every day. Instructions may end in the classroom, don’t let learning end with it. Learn new things every day. Focus your energy on what creates the desired result of your life. Improve your brains and minds every day.
29. Understand More
Don’t just study to pass exams, study to understand. Learn all your courses have an impact on your life. The subjects aren’t just design for you to come out with A’s. They are to teach you something about life.
30. Boost Your Reading Appetite
Have a strong reading habit. With every passing day, improve on your reading life in terms of quality and duration.
31. Live Well in School
Your parents or guardians sent you to school with expectations. Do not disappoint your parents and so many other persons looking up to you. Be good value for their money. Avoid whatever would end up in disgrace.
32. Avoid Pressure from the Opposite Sex
Immediately you gain admission, there are boys and girls waiting to kill your dream. Senior students chase young admitted girls just to take advantage of them. Avoid distractions from senior students.
Also Read: How to increase productivity
33. Find Your Match
Iron sharpeneth iron. Look for people of like passion. People who have the same vision and goals. This will so much make things easy for you.
34. Try a Reading Partner
Most times, it is easier to understand when you have a reading partner. You may want to try reading with someone to see if it helps. Feel free to stop if it doesn’t favour you.
35. Read Effectively
Don’t deceive yourself, effective reading is not by duration. It is by how much attention you put in and how many things you were able to understand. Don’t skip the topics you find difficult, meet scholars to explain. Avoid people who have the same weakness as you.
36. Buy Books
Unless you don’t have money, buy every book the lecturer recommends and make sure you read them. Stop borrowing up and don’t.
37. Copy in Class
You must learn to put down notes in class. It doesn’t matter whether that is being dictated is in your text. Writing helps you in different ways. In fact, it is easier to remember what you wrote by yourself.
Recommended: 8 Powerful Ways To Understand Difficult Courses
38. Upgrade in Reading
Don’t use secondary school reading pattern. Upgrade!
39. Motivate Yourself
If nobody motivates you, motivate yourself. Always find reasons to behave, find reasons to be the best version of yourself. Stay focused.
40. Avoid Pressure
Pressure will come from friends and society. Avoid pressure to get rich quick, avoid pressure to follow short cut, avoid pressure to join a cult, avoid pressure to put hands in what is hot, avoid trouble in any form. It is better for them to say you’re weak than for strong men to cry at your grave.
41. Reduce Religious Activities
A lot of students get too occupied with religious activities in school that it even makes them skip some classes. There are time and priority for everything. Give to Ceaser what belongs to Ceaser. Even God won’t be happy with your misplace priority.
42. Think Critically
Always use your head. Don’t follow everything you are told. Apply wisdom to everything that you do while in school. In everything, Aim to understand.
43. Be Disciplined in School
Don’t do things because no one sees you or because you have the urge to do it. Always think it through. Don’t sleep too much, don’t eat too much, to womanise too much, don’t drink too much, etc. Always have moderation.
Also Read: 10 Extraordinary Benefits Of Good Thinking
44. No One Is Watching, But
Your parents may not be in school to always monitor or correct you. Other persons in school may not be able to fight or correct you. But remember that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Actions have consequences. Don’t misbehave.
45. Learn New Skills
Learn as many skills as possible why you are in school. Your skills will always make way for you in school and outside school. Learn as many tech skills as possible, stop giving excuses.
46. Keep Secrets
Don’t tell people everything about yourself; especially your weakness. They may end up using them against you. You are mature now, learn to keep certain things to yourself. If someone believes in you to tell you things, never betray the person.
47. Read Other Books
Majority of Nigerian Students read only what they are taught in class. Read outside the box, learn new things. Read Literatures, Tech and Science books. It doesn’t necessarily need to relate to your course of study. Read motivational and inspiration books
48. Manage Your Time
Time is one of the biggest resources given to man equally. What you do with time is what life will eventually do to you. Learn time management so as to get the best out of school.
49. Always Visit AidTheStudent
Just like this article, AidTheStudent.com has thousands of resources to help and keep you in shape. Simply click here to see the reasons AidTheStudent is the best blog for Parents and Students.
50. Don’t Lose Hope
It is a lack of hope that will make a student resolve to committing suicide in school. Your problem is not the biggest, every issue has an ending date, so long you are alive, you will come out of issues, out of poverty and out of heartbreaks. Suicide or hopelessness should never be an option for you.
Also Read: How to become rich
51. You Background Isn’t A Problem
You may be from a very poor background but let it put your back on the ground. You can make it no matter your family situation and no matter where you are from. Just believe in yourself and put in more effort.
Whether you are in Federal, State or Private School, Uniben, Unilag, OAU, Unilorin, UI, Covenant, Auch, Delsu, Funaab, Uniport, Abu, Lasu, Yabatech, etc, or even outside the country, this article will definitely work for you.
