American students are stressed. According to a study by NYU, "Nearly half (49%) of all students reported feeling a great deal of stress on a daily basis and 31 percent reported feeling somewhat stressed."

There are a lot of causes of chronic stress, from social media and cell phone usage/addiction, to pressure to attend college and a lack of time management/organizational skills. A lot of students spend their time constantly trying to ration their effort in an attempt to get the best grade possible. Instead focus on the goal of school: actually learning something.

The best way to 1) avoid being surprised by what's on a test, 2) prevent cramming to prepare for a test, and 3) ensure you actually learn something is to review a little bit every day. Spend at least 5-10 minutes for each class every afternoon or evening going over what you learned that day. What could you possibly do after you only just learned the material in class?

• Look for confusing parts in your notes or ways you can make them better (highlight, underline, define terms, add references to ppt or textbook)
• Draw diagrams or sketches to illustrate material
• Check out parts of the textbook that correspond to the day's class to reinforce what you learned
• Look up some videos to help supplement what you learned so you can hear it another way
• Teach someone else what you learned (it's the best way to study and test your comprehension)
• Find practice problems online or in that very expensive textbook you're using as a paperweight

If you review a little every day, studying for a test is a piece of cake. Since you've already been exposed to the material at least twice (or three times if you read the book prior to class), studying goes faster and is less stressful. If you walk into class and realize you have a test that day, at least you're somewhat prepared!

Question: What are you actually paying for in college?

It's not the food, dorms, or books, although those are all expensive parts these days. No, you're paying primarily for one thing: access to professors. In colleges that are conducting distance learning only, students who are not participating may as well stay home and watch YouTube videos for free (or perhaps purchase some videos at The Great Courses). So then what are you really paying for? What's the difference between a YouTube video and an online college class? Your ability to access the professor.

Not only do professors determine your grade, but they also provide incredibly valuable networking and learning opportunities that are unique to your college/environment. Many professors are experts in their fields and almost all have an area of study that interests them in particular. Learn about it, ask them questions, show them genuine curiosity for what they have to say. Who knows? You might actually learn something...

Q: How do I approach my professor?
A: Go to their personal website or find a biography on the school site. Try looking them up on a site like JSTOR, Lexus Nexus, or even just Google to see what work they've published. Read something they've written, find something interesting about their work, then ask them a question about it! You can also ask them for advice.

Q: When should I talk to my professor?
A: In-person it should be a little easier, because you can stick around after class. Even virtually they should still have office hours, so make an appointment!

Your teachers are the ones who will write you letters of recommendation for college or your first jobs. You spend more time with your K-12 teachers than you likely ever will with a college professor, so get to know them! Learn as much as you can from them.

Think about all of the things you can learn from your teachers besides content: leadership, communication, work ethic, responsibility, people skills, and so much more. Learning what NOT to do is often just as valuable as learning what TO do.