Well, I really had no life direction when I went to college. I dicked off in the beginning and changed my major. I attended 3 different institutions over the course of my college years, in three different towns. The only thing that got me to leave college on a good note is that I finally embraced my true passion, which was computer science. My upbringing set me out from the get-go to not go for comp sci, because it was not"a real career". When I told my mother I switched to CS, her words verbatim were "You realize that is only a 2 year degree, right?". I was not socially prepared for life out of the house, and this caused me to get wrapped up too tightly with partying. My social anxiety caused me to run to class and run back home as soon as it was done, figuratively speaking. If I could, I would start it all over with a vastly different mindset.
But on to the solid stuff. First and foremost, I would get it done in 4 years instead of 5. I would probably look into getting liberal ed credits at a cheaper institution. Those are the big ones.
My attitude would start off the way I ended my senior year of college: Treat it like a job. My last year I had a vastly different attitude than my first. I packed up my books in my dorm in the morning and went to campus with the intention of staying there for a good 8+ hours, with my down time committed to assignments and study. In my first years I was the sort that would bail on classes and drag myself back to the dorm to take a nap. It was a shame.
I would socialize with people who would pull me up rather than drag me down. I would network with students more focused on their education rather than starting the party on Thursday, Wednesday, or sooner.
I would take advantage of many more features of my institution. Undergraduate projects, career services, student work services, career fairs. Those sort of things.
These are just a handful of the things I wish I could go back and do better, But, with that said, I am thankful for the great employer I work for now, using the CS degree I attained.