1. You will have to speak up in class, maybe not a lot, but at least a moderate amount.

I know it is frustrating when teachers make class discussion 25 percent of your grade. You feel like the world will end because having to speak during a discussion is not always easy. You're right, it isn't easy to always speak during a class discussion. Ideas and comments are thrown around constantly until the next thing you know there is five minutes left in class, and you haven't spoken. In order to make this a little easier, try the following:

a) Recaps- Recapping the last class is something many english teachers implement to get students who don't talk much to speak up. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!

b) Small comments- Stating even just one line that caught your eye and what it made you think of is an easy way to get those much-needed points.

c) Fill the gap- In every discussion there is a lull. A time when the conversation slows just before the teacher switches gears. Use that small gap to make the switch yourself. Find a point in the reading that you feel should be emphasized and use the gap to steer the conversation in that direction.

2. There will be at least one awkward moment.

Whether you state a point that has already been stated or you mispronounce the name of the main character, awkward moments happen. The thing you have to remember is that no one will remember it. You may feel like everyone noticed or that no one will forget, but actually in a day or two no one will remember but you. Relax and move on from it.

3. Read, read, and read. You wouldn't choose to be an English major if you didn't like reading; however, there will be a lot of reading. There will be reading in Middle English (not related to Middle-Earth, mostly), reading from new and unique vernaculars, and reading from topics you have never encountered before. Now imagine hundreds of pages of reading being assigned for the same day in different classes along with at least a dozen other articles and a few essays. See my point? You will have to set time aside to read and really go in depth into the literature.

4. Okay, this may seem really confusing after my last point, but don't just read.

Now let me explain, yes you have to take time to read, but you also have to take time to socialize. Terrifying, I know. You cannot stay stuck in a book all day; you have to speak to real people. Start with the ones in your English class; they will be easier to make friends with because you're in the same class and you have at least one thing in common, reading.

5. Don't forget to reboot. Time can get away from you and the days can get busy. Don't forget about self-care; you can take time to relax in quiet solitude when you aren't doing homework. Just you, a cup of coffee, and a book you want to read for fun. ;)