Being in college, we all strive for that wonderful 4.0 GPA. It is not only hard to get, but it seems impossible at times because it just takes so much hard work. Sometimes you do not even want to be the best, but you still want a GPA that looks good and do not know where to start. I am going to talk about a few tricks that I use to keep my GPA up during the school year, while also making sure I have at least some free time to myself. Here are five tips to keep your GPA as high as the sky.

1. GO TO CLASS! I cannot stress this enough. You are paying good money to come to school so why would you skip your class? Even if the class does not require you to attend, you should still show up. Not only does showing up allow you to take better notes, you are able to ask questions while they come up in the lecture. Also, if attendance is part of your grade, it is silly not to go. If you get 100 percent on everything else in class, and attendance is worth 5 percent of your grade, you will receive a 95 percent. If you get 80 percent on everything and never show up to class, then your grade will be 75 percent. Though 5 percent does not sound like a lot, in the end it can be the difference between an A or B. 

2. TIME! You need to manage your time wisely. If you know you have something due on Thursday and you have to go to work on Wednesday, then do not wait until Wednesday to do your homework. If you want to relax after school but have too much homework, take some time out of your weekend and work on your homework ahead of time. This will not only make your week less stressful, but it will also allow you to be able to turn things in ahead of time. You just need to schedule in time to do your work. 

3. HAVE FUN! This one is going to be short, simple, and sweet. You need to make sure you have time for yourself. If you are not able to relax and let go of stress, then you will overwork yourself. You will not be able to sustain a life that is all work and no fun.

4. ASK FOR HELP! If you are having trouble in school, the easiest thing you can do is ask for help. You go to school here and you pay for the services that the school provides, so use them. Your professors have office hours for a reason. If you are unable to find housing or you need help with food, U-ACCESS is a great place to go for help. The school has so many programs to help students with their grades and their lives outside of school. All you have to do is get in contact with them and ask for help. If you do not know where to go to get the help you need, go to the One Stop and ask them what department to go to. 

5. DO SOMETHING YOU LOVE! If you are dreading going to school everyday because you are studying something you hate, then you might want to think about why you chose that. I found the best thing for me was to study something I enjoy, because instead of going to class just to get a degree, I am going to class because I am excited to learn about the topic. This will help motivate you to learn more and try harder in your classes, as you’ll actually care about what you’re learning about.