This is the post that I would like to read when I was an undergraduate student specially during my first year at the university.

My first year was a big transition. You must adapt to a different evaluation system, get ready for several weeks of test sometimes in consecutive days.

So I think that is important to understand it:

  • I will not need Maths. I will not need this knowledge in the future Ok, maybe you will not need to calculate the primitive of a function or resolve a equations system using Gauss’s method. But you will need to know how to resolve problems and how to approach it. An engineer must to be able to solve problems. If you are developing you would be interested in efficiency times that are expressed using functions to estimate how fast or slow will be your algorithms.

  • Decide what is more important to you

    If you are studying in a city like Granada. You will get a lot of flyers about parties, events or any other activity that can you make you forget your objectives. This does not mean that you cannot go out to a party or meet with friends. It is normal. However you must be responsible of your time, your tasks and of course you must study and practice. You could need to sacrifice weekends or summers. But dude, you are not a child.

  • First year could be challenger

    First year is a period of adaptation. Nobody likes to fail, but it is part of the life. This period is like a resistance race, do not spend all your energy in the first kilometer. Just keep running wisely.

  • Use a good study methodology

    One of the biggest lessons of this period is: “learn to learn”. You need a good strategy to learn your subject and obviously to pass your tests. I have written first learn and second pass your test because you can pass all the test, but your main objective would be extract all the knowledge from your lectures and the resource available. I know that this is challenger when you are 20-25 years old. Trust me, all the time you spend researching will be one of the best inversion you will do in your life.

  • Get a good balance in your life

    You are a student and a person. We need to focus in our objectives and also we have more areas in our life. We have family, friends, girlfriend etc. Do not forget them. Manage your time and take care of them.

And the most important: if you feel tired, frustrated or stressed, keep working and get a good group of friend near to you. This is critical.

“The difference is in what you do when no one is looking!”