The new school year it here! As I sat through all my uninteresting lectures, I thought I would compile a small list of tips that will help some of you out for this semester!

#1 Introduce yourself to the Professor/ TA

I would say this is definitely a must at the beginning of the semester. By going out of your way to introduce yourself, it shows the professor and TA that you are the type of student to take initiative. Introducing yourself also helps the professor and TA get to know you better. They may not immediately remember who you are in class, but they will recognize your face and that can definitely be worked to your advantage in terms of seeking help. Overall, taking the time to introduce yourself to your professor and TA is a sign of respect and is definitely something I would recommend doing at the start of the semester!

#2 Come to class prepared

Another way to start the semester on a good note is to always bring the necessary supplies to class. Though the first two weeks may not consist of much, it is important to come with at least the basics: pencil, pen, paper, notebook, etc. Be sure to check the syllabus for whatever supplies the professor may ask that you bring. This includes: clickers, textbook, calculator, planner, etc. It definitely doesn’t look too good when you show up to class with no supplies on hand! Be sure to ask about whatever supplies you may need if it isn’t explicitly stated in the syllabus- it never hurts to be extra prepared!

#3 Attendance!

I really cannot stress this advice enough! Even though we all may hate going to class, I strongly recommend attending each lecture and discussion. While some of us prefer to just stay in our rooms and do the work alone, it has been shown countless times that students who attend class are likely to have a higher grade than those who do not. Attending all lectures and discussions also has its benefits. Usually, the professor tests students on ALL materials, not just the information in the textbook or handouts; this means that any material in lecture is fair game! So, if you want to make sure you do well in class, be sure to go to class on time and take good notes!

#4 Study Habits/Schedule

I like to reflect and re-evaluate my study habits at the beginning of each semester. Whether I follow through on them or not is a different story! However, it certainly does not hurt to figure out a plan for how to study for certain classes. While some classes may require several hours of note taking, book review, and informational videos, other classes may be a lot more easier and may not require so many hours of studying. Be sure to manage all your time into a schedule. Because life tends to be full of surprises, it’s ok if you end up having to change up your schedule a bit! Tweaking your study hours and times will not hurt your academic work as long as you follow through on completing your work.

I hope this list helped a few of you out. Because everyone has different classes, be sure to make adjustments to how you see fit. A study schedule for a psychology student will definitely look different from that of a biology student! As long as you make things work for you, that is all that matters. The semester has just begun, so be sure to start things off right!