Dr. Michael Bordieri and Tracy Ross discuss the secrets to being successful during and after college on Sounds Good.
Bordieri says the easiest step to being successful is just showing up to class. He says this can be one of the biggest struggles for new college students because they are moving from the structured environment of high school to the self-determined structure of college. To help with this transition, Bordieri suggests signing up for professors and classes you like to help make being in the classroom more worth your while.
Bordieri’s second step is to speak up. He says the only way to learn and test your knowledge is to try demonstrating it.
“Basically, you don’t know what you know until you try to figure out what you don’t know,” Bordieri said.
He says people may not speak up because they are afraid to look stupid. But talking out loud and being actively engaged helps students get more out of class.
“You know, 99.9 percent of the time you’re not going to look stupid and even if you do, who cares? If it means you’re going to know whether or not you know the material, get the information you need, and help you in the course,” Bordieri said.
The third step, Bordieri says, is taking advantage of the college experience outside of the classroom by visiting professors during office hours, doing internships, joining groups, participating in events, trying new things, and engaging in the community.
