Succeeding in College and Life by Jonathan Wong is packed with everything a future college student will need to know to be successful. As a former English teacher who taught composition to freshmen, I wish this book had been in print when I taught because I would have recommended it as reading for all my students.
For me, what makes Succeeding in College and Life stand out is that it offers a bird’s-eye view of the college experience. Yes, it contains lots of advice on how to study for good grades, but there’s so much more to the college experience. It is about discovering yourself. It’s about building relationships with friends that could last forever. It’s about being away from home and living alone. It is about the education of the mind and the awakening of the personality in new, surprising and magical ways. Jonathan Wong, a long-time college instructor, understands all of that, and has it all covered between the covers of this book. While I can’t cover all of the topics Jonathan covers on these pages, I will touch on a few highlights.
One of the biggest problems with college is the idea that one needs to be perfect. Writer’s block can also become study block and performance block. Jonathan reminds the students that they don’t have to be perfect; they just have to do the best they can. He also reminds them that not getting an A and even failing is okay as long as you’re learning, which is the true purpose of education, not just grades. This practical tip helps prove the real importance of a college education.
Jonathan then guides the reader through all aspects of the college experience, from choosing a major to selecting classes to developing study and time management skills. He also provides lots of tips on how to network, find internships, get good recommendations from your professors, and other things he can do to help you stand out from the crowd while in college to impress potential employers.
I also really appreciated all the financial advice in the book. Jonathan explores all the ways to finance a college education, from scholarships and financial aid to balancing work and school. He also gives wonderful advice to students on how to manage their money during their college years.
College is also a time to have fun. There are tips on these pages about networking with other students and participating in various activities on or off campus to build lifelong friendships. Perhaps most importantly, Jonathan reminds readers that their classmates, especially within their specific fields of study, will be their colleagues in the workplace, not only competing with them for jobs, but also possibly becoming on your employees or bosses in the future, so the stronger relationships you build in college, the better your chances for professional success and personal happiness.
Throughout the book, Jonathan stops readers to ask them to reflect. Each chapter concludes with one or more exercises to get students thinking about everything from where to get advice if needed to knowing how to use the library and other resources on campus. These exercises, once completed, will make the book a resource directory for students.
Finally, well, there’s a lot more, but I’ll just mention one last thing: I went to college in the early 90’s like Jonathan did. In those days, we were beginning to need the use of computers to write our documents. Today, there are countless technological resources available to students that we did not have then. Jonathan gives advice on all these different resources, including word processing programs, various types of software, computers, websites, etc. Many of them are based on people’s different personal learning styles and can provide incredible benefits. I was very impressed with all the technology that I didn’t even know existed that could be useful to students.
I wish someone had given me this book when I graduated from high school. While much of the information may seem like common sense to people already involved in their careers, it’s not always obvious to an eighteen-year-old freshman. If I had devoured this book the summer before my freshman year, I would have been much better prepared for college. I wish someone like Jonathan had told me to make more of an effort to network and be social during my college years, so I could take advantage of how people could help me not only in the classroom but also in my future career. In short, this book can even help introverts.
Anyone who knows a prospective high school graduate should give them a copy of this book. It will be a college student’s best friend during the academic years and will set students up for success in their careers and even in their lives.
