by Michael Skinner

Created on: July 27, 2009   Last Updated: March 10, 2010

One of the more elusive concepts in school is realizing that you are not Galileo or Newton or even the guy who invented post-it notes. What this means is that most of the assignments you are given in school have been accomplished by someone in the past in a much better fashion than you could ever imagine. Don't plagiarize, copy, cheat, or claim someone else's information as your own. Rather use existing data as a template for your own. For example, if it is your job as an undergraduate to design an airplane, Google every existing design and try to base your new design on one of the existing ones. If your instructor tells you not to this, then don't. Do it from scratch. But realize that even this kind of class can be studied for. Find out from previous year students what was required before you take the class. Get their notes and test papers if they let you have them. Study everything you can before you take that pain-in-the-ass class, including all those existing airplane designs. The instructor can't prevent you from coming into his class with knowledge. Oddly enough, for testing and heuristic purposes, the instructor can restrict the way in which you use knowledge once you are in the class. If there is a particularly pain-in-the-ass, stick-in-the-mud-class in your path, or just a subject you really suck at, then monitor the class. Take the class for no grade or just sit in when you can. Learn what you can before you take the class for a grade.

Until you reach graduate school, almost nothing you will do is original with you. Study what exists and therefore have some idea of the set of plausible parameters for your solution space. Know your universe.

Get plenty of sleep and eat a balanced diet. Don't let schoolmates convince you that stupid behaviors are a good idea. Don't stay up until 2 AM studying unless you are a night owl. Just as it is not a true badge of courage to drink more than the next idiot, it is also not a badge of courage to pull more all- nighters than the next idiot.

Finish your assignments early so that you can go back over them and correct errors and oversights before you hand them in. Don't do anything at the last minute.

Attend all your classes and take copious notes. Don't bring distracting things like miniature DVD players to class.

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