1. Get Organized
In high school, the teachers tended to lead you through all the homework and due dates. In college, the professors post the assignments, often for the entire semester in your syllabus, then expect you to be prepared. Buy an organizer, use an app, or get a big wall calendar: whatever it takes for you to know when assignments are due. It easy to fall behind in college and you do not want that to be the reason you do not succeed.
2. Go to class.
This sounds obvious, but sleeping in and skipping that 8 (or even 11) AM class will be tempting at times. Avoid the temptation. Besides learning the material by attending classes, you will also receive vital information from the professors about what to expect on the test and change of due dates. Most importantly, you will build habits throughout college and you do not want to make skipping class a habit.
3. Meet with your professors.
Speaking as a professor, I can assure you there are only upsides to getting to know your professors, especially if later in the semester you run into some kind of issue. Professors schedule office hours for the sole purpose of meeting with students: take advantage of that time. Unlike high school, getting to know your teacher is not built in and they will not initiate it. YOU have to take time and go talk to them.
4. Get involved on campus.
A big problem for a lot of new students is homesickness or a feeling of not quite belonging. One of the best solution is getting involved student organizations including, clubs, sororities or fraternities, or and intramural sports team. You will make new friends, learn new skills, and feel more connected to your school. But remember you are a student first so try not to get too sucked into all of the activities where it hurts your academics.
5. Take advantage of the resources on campus.
A learning center can be a major help. They have tutors for a variety of subjects including but not limited to Calculus, Statistics, Biology, Chemistry, and they will review your papers. You can also get free counseling and organizational help. You can also reserve rooms in the library to have group study sessions. Another resource you have is your advisors.
6. Stay healthy/Eat Right.
A lot of problems first-year students face can be traced back to an illness that kept them away from classes for an extended period of time that led to a downward spiraling effect. Get enough sleep, take your vitamins, and eat right. If you haven’t heard the jokes about college food, you soon will. And without mom or dad there to serve you a balanced meal, you may be tempted to go for those extra fries or cookies. Stay healthy and avoid the dreaded extra “Freshman 15” pounds by sticking to a balanced diet.
