Going to college or going back to college can be a very exciting time. For some, it is a fresh start in a new place. For others, it is a time to reunite with friends you missed all summer. No matter if you're a freshman or a senior its always good to have a good head start.

Don't waste time. It may seem like your time at college is abundant in your first week of college. Classes have yet to really pick up speed leaving for extra leisure time. Do not allow this extra time to give you a false sense of the workload of a class. Within two weeks you are going to moving at full speed.

In order to stay ahead of the game make sure to pay close attention to your syllabus. I know no one really looks at these and for the first week, professors spend time going through them, at the time it feels like a major waste of time. Although at the moment it seems that way, your syllabus holds very important secrets about the class. A lot of times questions you have about the class have already been answered in your syllabus.

Read, read, read. You may not see the point in reading for class, because what you are reading is sometimes the same information that is presented in class. Although if you read the night beforehand, or even before class it allows you to preview what is going to be taught the next day. By doing this you are adding another level to your understanding. Repetition is key, and that is why reading is so important.

Another trick to stay ahead of the game is to type your notes after class. By typing your notes after class you are able to review the information that was originally given to you. When you are taking notes in class you are mostly looking at powerpoint to take notes, you are not completely digesting the information. When you type out your notes it allows you to revisit the information that was just given to you, and around exam time you will have a study guide to help you study.

Don't wait until it's too late. I know it's only the first week of class but it is never too early to become proactive. Contact your advisor and get to know them as soon as possible. If you feel like you are going to have trouble in a class make sure you find out what tutoring services are available to you, and use them as soon as you're struggling. College moves too quickly to wait until you are really struggling.

The semester is only begging and there is so much more to come. Remember to take good care of yourself, body and mind. Relax when you need too, and most of all learn something new.