Syllabus week is a fresh beginning for college students, complete with brand new classes, professors and classmates. The only thing that isn't so fresh is the nearly-identical syllabus that our professors read over in every class. At this point, we could probably all recite the main points from it: don't text in class, plagiarism is just not OK, attendance is "mandatory" for succeeding in class, etc. The only problem is that these syllabi neglect to tell you the things that you will actually need to remember during this semester. So, I will attempt to lay out for you what I consider to be the most important rules for going forward.
1. Don't take a class that you hate, and if you absolutely have to, create a positive mindset about it.
2. Don't alienate yourself to talking to one person or group of people in the class.
3. Be respectful to your professors-- you never know how they can help you in the future.
4. At least try to start off your semester by being organized.
5. Do your best to go to class, but remember that some days you may honestly need that extra hour of sleep.
6. Go on spontaneous outings with your friends. Yes, you may really need to study that day, but you may actually need a few hours of laughter a little bit more.
7. Take a "fun" class, one that is outside of the usual courses you take and is about something you actually want to know more about.
8. Try new things! Whether it be joining a club or just trying out the new restaurant in town, just mix things up!
9. Push yourself to do better in your studies, your health, your relationships, or wherever else there's room for improvement.
10. Don't let your "new year, new me" motto make you forget how great you already are.
11. Strive to pet more dogs than you did last semester.
12. Procrastinate less... or at least say you're going to.
13. Do more for others, and expect nothing in return.
14. Leave your past problems and painful memories back in fall semester where they belong.
15. Follow your passions and work hard toward achieving your dreams.
16. Call your parents more often-- they miss you more than you realize.
17. Don't get so worried about the stressful parts of college life. Everything has worked out in the past and it will continue to work out.
18. Be confident in who you are and what you're capable of.
19. Use your days off and holidays for relaxing, not doing all of your homework you pushed off.
20. Remember: you are more than your GPA.
Although by midterms we will probably all still be stressed out messes, I hope that these pro tips will make you a little less stress-y and messy. If you're anything like me, you still aren't completely ready for classes to be in session. However, we will get through this semester just like we always do. With the guidance of this new and improved syllabus, maybe we can get through a little more gracefully than in semesters past. Good luck!
