By now you’re probably familiar with all the good habits you should practice to be a successful student — creating a personal schedule to keep track of assignment dates, asking your lecturers for help, sleeping early and more. But what about the things that you should not do, especially if you don’t want others to have a negative impression of you?

Don’t worry, you’ll be fully aware once you’ve gone through our list of what you should avoid doing in college!

#1. Get on your lecturer’s wrong side

One of the biggest mistakes to ever do as a student is offending your lecturers. This includes being late, rude and not doing your assigned duties. Not only is this bad because you are not respecting your lecturers, but it is also not a good idea because your lecturers are in charge of your grades and could give you a low mark — or worse, report your behaviour to the Head of Department.

Even if you disagree with them, you should always confront them diplomatically and never disrespect them. After all, they are the ones who are putting in the effort to educate you to ensure you have a bright future.

#2. Be an all talk and no action person

Ever had a friend who’s always bragging about their abilities but when it comes to it, they magically disappear or make up excuses to avoid commitment? Well, don’t be that friend because your college mates will realise that you’re not reliable and eventually keep a distance from you.

One way to avoid this is by being mindful about your words. Sure, it’s okay to be proud of your achievements, but never boast about things you’re not even sure you could do to begin with, else you’d be digging your own grave in the end.

#3. Not being involved in your group projects

Yes, we understand that sometimes it’s easier to work alone. You don’t have to oblige to everybody’s timings and you can avoid all the drama group assignments usually bring. However, life doesn’t always work that way. In order to survive in the real world, being a team player is crucial. Hence, you’re given group projects so that you’re able to work alongside other people.

When you don’t participate in your group assignments, not only does it mean that you could potentially lose your marks (your dissatisfied groupmates have every right to tell on you), you’re indicating that you’re irresponsible and do not care about your studies.

#4. Missing your presentations

Regardless of your excuses, whether you have stage fright or if you are shy, you should never skip your presentations. Firstly, you risk losing a lot of marks, and worse, if it’s a group presentation you will be jeopardising everyone else’s grades. We understand that if you’re an introvert, presentations can be daunting. But, the least you could do is prepare your slides and read from your notes if you really need to.

#5. Plagiarise in your assignments

Your lecturers weren’t born yesterday. They’ve probably read through hundreds of sites and journals and are familiar with all the texts — if you’ve copied something, they would know. Even if they miss it, there are still plagiarising detectors such as TurnItIn, which universities and colleges use to skim through your assignments to see if you have copied entire sentences and paragraphs. So always remember to paraphrase and insert your sources.

One reason why you have the urge to copy and paste is probably that you’re finishing your assignments at the final hour and find that you don’t have enough time to complete it. To avoid this, start your assignments early — the thought of plagiarising won’t even cross your mind!

#6. Skipping class because you were partying

There’s no denying that your college years is said to be one of the best times of your life. You’re finally exposed to a variety of experiences that you were sheltered from when you were still in school and you might even have a bucket list to cross off before you graduate. That’s all fine and it’s totally okay to be curious and want to try new things — except if it affects your grades and class attendance.

Don’t be influenced by what you see on television or by your seniors. It’s fine to attend a party once in a while but over-partying and frequent late night outs are not how you should spend your college years. Not only will you waste a lot of money but it will also affect your studies and ultimately your future.

#7. Doing your tasks at the eleventh hour

“There’s not enough time to finish!” “I need more time!”

Does the complaint above sound familiar? We hate to break it to you but you probably would have had ample time to complete your assignment if you managed your time wisely and started on it early.

Unfortunately, many students are guilty of procrastination and are always putting their responsibilities on hold. There are many reasons why people procrastinate and it’s not always because you are just being lazy or tired. If you identify as a procrastinator, you should understand how to beat it as soon as possible before it affects your grades!

#8. Being influenced to buy stuff

Naturally, since you are handed more freedom in college and would have expanded your circle of friends, there’s a high chance that your expenditure will increase — what with the enticing creative ads everywhere and your friends showing off their new possessions on Instagram daily. You may be tempted to spend lavishly on these luxurious products, even though it is way out of your budget.

However, you should remember that material gratification is short term and it’s an endless cycle. Our advice? Save that extra cash as you’ll be thankful for it in the future when you’re a full-grown adult who needs to pay your own rent and bills.

#9. Putting in effort only for the final semester

Unlike your SPM days, putting in hard work just for your final examinations will not help you score with flying colours. This is because in college, your overall grades or CGPA is usually measured cumulatively starting from your first semester, depending on your choice of course and institution. Most pre-university courses also include your overall assignment scores when calculating your final results.

So, you should absolutely start paying attention in class starting from day 1!

College may be full of fun and excitement, but you should never forget to place consistent effort in your studies so that you can excel. Remember to think carefully and be rational when making decisions in college or risk ruining your future.

Need more advice about college? Here are 12 Misconceptions About College, Debunked!