maintain a healthy sense of perspective

Another trick is to involve emotion. Don't just sit at a desk and talk quietly. Stand up, pace your room, yell out answers, cover material as if lecturing to a fascinated class, and play inspiring music in the background. The more stimuli you provide your brain, the more connections to the material you will develop, and the better you will remember

In short, you cannot let a busy schedule come between you and your friendships.

When you are bored or lonely, your friends will instill laughter and excitement and misadventure back into your routine. When you feel adrift and are unsure of where you fit in the world, your friends will prevent you from taking yourself too seriously.

two for your major, and three random elective courses. If you tacked on another minor, guess what, in a typical term you are still only taking five courses. Except now you are just swapping one of your electives for a minor course.

More important, learning the central theories behind modern art will give you an overview of the general development of intellectualism in the twentieth century.

Because college is an overwhelming social environment. You are thrown into a small space with thousands of other students who know nothing about you. Many students fail to maintain a strong sense of identity in this situation, and instead begin to peg their self-worth on receiving the respect and admiration of others.

Thirty minutes is enough. Do something simple: jot down a research schedule on your calendar; sketch out an outline; check out and skim the introduction of several relevant books; write a series of potential thesis statements.

But here is the secret to being a good listener: Never be the first person to give an opinion. If you are in a group or talking with a professor, and a topic worthy of discussion comes up, you gain nothing by jumping right in and providing what seems to you to be the obviously correct opinion.