College Survival Tips

•Don't overpack when you go to college and pack for the climate that you are in.

•Remember that ironing can become tiring and is not the most exciting college activity. Dry cleaning bills do add up also. Consider packing clothes that wrinkle less and clothes that don't need dry cleaning.

•Meet as many fellow students as you can during orientation. It's a great time to meet everyone. Sometimes the people you meet during orientation become your best friends.

•Get well acquainted with your campus and explore the campus, the buildings, and its history. Go into buildings that you would otherwise not go into.

•Walk around campus before your classes begin and get familiar with where you are going and what times your classes are.

• Have a schedule that you can handle and vary your courses. Don't enroll in more than three reading intensive courses.

•Find out who the best professors are from your friends and take their classes. The professor can make the course better than the actual subject if they are really good.

•Try to fulfill your core requirements and get them out of the way early on in college.

•Seek advice from older students and of course your advisor. They are experienced with many of the things you will go through and they can help. Don't wait for them to come to you, go to them.

•Don't decide on your major right away. Take some time to think about it and then decide what interests you most. Remember that majors are not geared for careers or entering the "real working world." If majors were geared only to prepare you for a job and career, then many companies wouldn't have training programs.

•Take courses just for fun and ones that you know you will enjoy. By taking these "fun courses" you become well rounded.

•When registering for classes try not to schedule classes that are back to back. If you do, you won't have time to study right before or after class and it also can wear you out.

•Try not to drop classes too early. Go to few of the classes and then decide if you should drop it. --Don't give up on a class if it seems too difficult. You could do well in a difficult class that you find to be challenging with help from a tutor or a peer.

•Don't always believe the professor on the first day of class because they always talk about how much work they will give throughout the semester. Remember the professor has to grade this work too.

•Don't attempt to write down everything that a professor says. This is very hard to do and in turn will make you more bored in the class. If you absolutely have to hear everything, invest in a mini recording device.

•Don't be scared to talk to or ask your professors or teaching assistants questions. Remember they are there to help you. That's why they hold office hours. Go to their office hours regularly or when needed and don't wait till the last minute to ask them questions.

•Remember your professors are human too and make mistakes. It's a good idea to correct them because it may save the whole class from having to do something that they weren't supposed to do.

•Ask questions. There is no such thing as a stupid question. Your question may be one that others may have, but just haven't asked.

•If you can't make it to all the office hours, then go to review sessions before exams. You will see how helpful these may be when you are pressed for time to study a lot.

•When studying, study in groups for review sessions, but it is also important to study alone. You may learn better by studying alone depending on your learning style.

•Use the resources at your school. The library is always a great place to study.

•Attend class. Even if attendance is not taken, attendance keeps you on top of things.

•Keep track of your schedule in a day planner or on a calendar. If you have a personal digital assistant, then that's great too just as long as you are organized.

•Avoid procrastination. Waiting till the last day to work on a paper is not a good idea. Break your work up into chunks. Just think if you started it when it was assigned. You could always have fun and relax after.