College can very well be a time of great stress brought about by sleepless nights to meet deadlines, countless bottles of energy drinks downed to the bottom, and equally burnt out college buddies whose only thought at two in the morning is “Who wants more coffee?”

Sure, the university is a tough and competitive place where you feel that everyone else is way ahead of you in many aspects. You may find that some people are getting the Algebra class easier than you do, or that your roommate is still better at you in Physics despite keeping a day job.

Worry no more, buddy. We have compiled a list which hopefully helps you to breeze through college and get better grades.

1. Keep a positive outlook – It is only human to feel inadequate in the face of failure. We sometimes do not perform the way we expect it, especially during surprise quizzes or an essay-writing test about how the First World War changed the economics of the world. Keeping a positive attitude helps you overcome the feeling of failure. Instead of reminding you of the shortcoming, it makes you focus that tomorrow is another day and we can get better at we do.

2. Attend all your classes – In short, never miss any class. It is but normal to skip, but if you want to land better grades in college, you would have to attend all your classes. Not only that, it is important that you pay close attention, absorb the lessons, and make your presence known. Raise your hand if you do not understand something or if you know the answer. If you know that your professor knows you, the real learning starts from there. Should you encounter him/her outside the university, you can initiate a conversation by saying his/her Creative Writing class taught you many things.

3. Get a planner today – Having a planner solves many problems you already have and you will have in the future. More or less, getting a better grade is about time management. Schedule your classes, night-outs, and study groups properly and adhere to them. This makes sure you have an allotted time for all your subjects. Learn to say no to frat parties no matter how much fun they can get. Getting drunk during a study week is going to cripple your entire schedule and system as you will lose time for the subjects you have to review for or the essay you have to submit in the morning. Hangovers are so 2000. Stay in and study.

4. Keep your test papers, homework, and class papers – A lot of students throw their test papers straight to the bin after they are handed. Do not make the same mistake. These papers are your reminders and are really good review materials. You can reassess how you did on those papers and improve your answer.

5. Don’t forget to use the textbook – Professors at the beginning of the class would require some readings, and more often than not, ask the class to refer to just one book in particular. Use the required textbook and always go back to it when the subject becomes confusing.

6. Be better in taking tests – Take your time understanding a question but do not take too long that you forget that there are other questions. Read it carefully and read it twice. Think about your answers in your head, edit them mentally, and map it out on the paper. No professor in history appreciates a really dirty paper. Also, if a question is confusing, you may always ask your professor for a clarification. It never hurts to ask.

7. Form study groups – Sometimes studying alone can be boring. Partner up with a seatmate, or form study groups with classmates that are really serious in getting better grades. Do your homework in coffee shops if it makes you study better. You can also get homework tutoring for college when your friends are unavailable. This ensures that the tutor you’re getting is someone really good at it.

8. Read in your spare time – Do advance readings. Visit the public library and get a book related to a subject you want to improve on. Take notes and make sure you understand what you’re reading.

9. Bye, procrastination! – Going back to tip # 3, you may want to quit the habit of procrastinating. Alright, laying in bed with your phone or playing your favorite online game sure as hell sounds fun but it keeps you from doing some real work. Focus is what you need and the right attitude to motivate you to get better at something. Those failing marks do not look really good to employers. How can you work at Google or Microsoft or any other of your dream employers if you keep on saying “I will do them later” only to say the same thing after two hours? No one likes someone who slacks around in the real, corporate world. So get up and do some real work.

10. Study and study and study – In the end of it all, it all boils down to, well, you got it right—study. But study smart and serious. Avoid your phone at all cost during study time. Put it on silent, or better yet, turn it off. Avoid all possible things to distract you from getting those important information into your golden brain and in turn getting those better grades you wanted.

College does not have to feel hell. With the right kind of attitude and proper time management—and, of course, ample amount of coffee and energy drinks—you can survive, no, graduate with flying colors and no bruises. You may feel stressed sometimes but that is what the weekend is for—to rest. If you plan out your study week right and stick to it, you may no longer have to study in the weekend. You can use this time to get in touch with your Twitter followers, take a short trip to the wine country, and some other activities that will help you balance college and fun.