It is the first week of class, and the first real week back from summer. Work week, recruitment, and moving transitions are finally over. A whole bunch of things are going on from activity fairs, week of welcome, start of classes, constant social events, purchasing books, and getting back into the swing of things. It may seem like this week is a breeze because most of the classes just go over the syllabus, hence “syllabus week,” but there are a few things you should keep in mind.
1. Go to class.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how hard it is to get out of your cold bed and make the trek to campus in the still-summer heat. It will be hard to stay on top of things if you are already missing the first few days. If you start skipping class the first week of school, you will get into the habit of not going and you will fall behind. Teachers do take participation points the first week and most classes even have little assignments the first few days. It’s important to know what is going on and to get the feel of how your semester is going to flow.
2. Come prepared.
Some may use the excuse of not wanting to buy the required books for class until the first day (I may or may not be guilty of this) but you will save yourself in the long run if you are prepared. Order books online (it’s cheaper) and some websites have return policies and you could always end up reselling it or returning it. Also, print off all of you syllabi before class to know what to expect for that specific course. Other things like notebooks, folders and pens take very little time to purchase.
3. You don't have to do something every night.
It will be tempting and exciting to be back with things happening all the time, but take a breather. The start of the year is a very stressful time but your body will thank you later if you take a night or two off to relax. I may not be the best advocate for this, but that’s what college is for -- learning, right? There will be plenty of times to get carried away and it may take you a couple of syllabus weeks to get that into your head.
These are all things to keep in mind while thinking about the first week of school. Going to class is something that should be kept throughout the entire year but starts with the first week while coming prepared follows to stay on top. Professors and students will appreciate this along with making it known that you are serious about school; you or someone else are paying a lot of money to attend a university so don’t fall behind the first week. Also, take a night off or two to relax and collect yourself because it may end up hurting you in the long run.
