Getting Prepared for College – Lesson #1: How to Be Professional

Think of school as your first full-time job. Between the time spent in class and the time spent preparing for class you will be “working” at least 40 hours each week, the same amount of time required by a full-time job. When you ask most students why they are in college, the answer is “to get a good job.” So, why not start practicing the skills you will need to get a good job NOW! With this in mind here are some of the ways you can approach college like a “professional”:

BE PREPARED: Buy your own supplies and come prepared to class. This summer make sure to stock up on school supplies for the fall. Don’t ask your professor if you can borrow a pen or if they have a stapler you can use. Many times your professors are teaching in different locations throughout the day and only carry what they need and no extras. Being prepared is a key to success in college and the workplace. Keep an extra pen or pencil with you, and invest in a miniature stapler so you aren’t tempted to dog-ear your papers and expect your professor to accept them.

LEARN HOW TO WRITE WELL: Practice your writing skills. The majority of college is going to focus on your writing. ODU has a great Writing Center that can help you improve your writing skills. Also, Purdue University has a great resource called OWL (Online Writing LAb) – it compiles great resources on everything from basic grammar questions to style and formatting questions as well: Purdue OWL. Knowing what resources are available to you, and where to find them, can make the difference in your work and set you up for success in college and beyond.  Who says it better than Weird Al:

GO BEYOND THE MINIMUM: Do everything that is recommended and not just what is required. Do all of the reading and all of the homework for all of your classes, even if it isn’t graded. Many professors will include recommended books or resources you can use that will help illuminate some of the content in their classes. Form a study group. Go to TUTORING.

COMMUNICATE LIKE A PROFESSIONAL: Don’t treat an email like a text message. Develop an email signature. Clear communication is key to being successful in college. It can be a good idea to develop an email signature for your ODU student email account that you can include in all ODU communication. Make sure it lists your contact information and your UIN, so your Professors and Advisors will know who you are and can better help you. If you email a professor, also make sure they know which class you are in – some professors have hundreds of students each semester.

Undergraduate work can be a professional proving ground. The skills and habits you form at ODU will carry over to your professional life as well, so it is important that you focus on developing the right skills to prepare you for future success. Feel free to expand this list and share some of your ideas on the blog or on Facebook.