Ah yes, the first day of classes: everyone's favorite time of year. School supplies are fresh, professors show up with a completely different look than the last time you saw them, and you're ready for a fresh start after having the worst semester of your college career. Everything is new again and life couldn't be better.
Until you walk into your senior research class and the professor gives you the syllabus. As you start looking through the syllabus thoroughly you start to freak out, wondering how you are going to handle the pile of crap that is known as senior research--on top of your other classes, your extracurricular activities, your sorority, etc.
You don't know how you're exactly going to handle senior research. However, at the same time, you realize that your time management skills suck and that senior research might help with your time management.
On the other hand, the first day of class brings excitement. You walk into class to see if there's actually anyone you know in your Intro to Psych class--and sometimes you see your best friend in another. "Maybe this class will be a good class," you think to yourself five minutes before the class starts as your best friend sits next to you, telling you why her ex-boyfriend's a jerk. As she's blabbing on you start to think of the numerous study sessions that'll be taking place at either your apartment or hers, and you start to get excited because you'll be with your BFF all the time, even more so now that you both have a class together.
In a way the best advice that I could give you is to rely on your syllabus. If you don't remember the day when you have a twenty page paper due, chances are it's in your syllabus. Look at the expectations and guidelines your professors have set for you, and don't be afraid to ask questions about anything on the syllabus in class, or during office hours. Professors are here to help you; they want you to succeed more than your parents do. Also, don't bring all of your textbooks to the first day of class--you wont be needing them unless you are specifically told to bring your textbooks.
The first day of class brings a preview to what the rest of the semester will turn out for you. Chances are, just by looking at the syllabus and viewing class load and course difficulty, you'll be able to tell whether the semester will be a good one or a bad one for you. Truth be told, there's a lot of people who are willing to help you along the way. However, you are the one who makes the best judgement of how hard a class is going to be after the first day.
Gear up, because it's gonna be a bumpy, but fun, ride.
