College isn’t like high school. You don’t have to be in class for 7 hours a day in subjects you don’t care about. You get to pick your classes and create your own schedule. You are the master of your education and I love it. I try not to have Friday classes and I stack my Tuesdays and Thursdays in order to work on Mondays and Wednesdays. It works pretty well.

Step 1: Attend class & take good notes.

I honestly don’t know how people don’t go to class. Going to class makes me feel productive even if I don’t pay full attention to the lectures. In the past three weeks, I’ve maybe gone to class twice and I’ve never felt more lost. If my professors didn’t post PowerPoints, I’d be screwed. Although they contain a lot of important information, it’s not the same as hearing the lecture and obtaining the knowledge from the professor. If I pay attention and review my notes, I get good test grades.

Step 2: Visit office hours.

It’s tricky for me but it’s important to make connections with professors. The only time I really go is after tests grades come out because I want to know the questions I got wrong. I want to get to know my professors (at least some of them) but I’m lost on how to do that. My mission for the fall is to figure it out.

Step 3: Make your own damn study guides.

People always try to sell study guides in my classes even though most professors warn that they will give a failing grade if they find out. Sometimes a couple students even get into competitions, going lower and lower in price each time. Buying a study guide is easy but creating your own means you actually learn the information and feel productive.

Step 4: Explore campus.

Go out on your own and explore the place that will be your home for the next four years. Once you figure out where everything is, you learn the quickest ways to class and the most popular places on campus. You can never stop exploring and you shouldn’t, there’s always more to find. Eventually, you’ll find a place of your own where you can go to hang out.

Step 5: Go to events.

There’s constantly something happening on campus, usually pertaining to free stuff. Not too long ago, there was a housing fair and I got 15 shirts, 5 water bottles, a pair of sunglasses, a couple pens, and some food. It was a pretty awesome day. Aside from fairs, there are also movies, video games, comedians, and music performances. If you’re bored, all you have to do is go on campus to find something to do.

Step 6: Join clubs.

If you have a passion, there’s most likely a club you can join to pursue it. Clubs lead you to friends which greatly improves your college experience. 10/10 would recommend joining one. It definitely helped me make friends and I wouldn’t change that for the world.

Step 7: Check your email.

Professors love to send emails about anything and everything, from canceled class to extra credit. If you want to know what’s going on, you have to check it at least a few times a day.

Step 8: Libraries aren’t the only places to study.

Especially during finals week, studying at libraries can be treacherous. There won’t be any open study rooms and tables will have limited space because everyone is there trying to take care of some kind of work. The best thing to do is find another place to study such as outside in the fresh air, in the dining hall where there’s food or even at a local place off campus. I would not recommend studying in your bedroom; it never seems to work.

Step 9: Call your parents.

I know I need to call my dad more often when he says I only call when I need something or something happens.

Step 10: Have fun!

Enjoy yourself but be careful and stay safe.