College, Campus and Classes – What you Must Do

We wait and wait with bated breath for graduation day and the future that college holds, but it’s only when we actually set foot on campus that most of us are hit with the jitters and a strong bout of homesickness that tend to make us withdraw into a shell like a frightened tortoise. Besides giving you an education that forms a strong foundation for your career, college can be loads of fun and provide you with wonderful experiences if you’re savvy enough to go with the flow and get through the first year without too much trouble. Aspiring college-goers, lend me your ears – here are a few tips (focused on the classroom aspect) to help you cope with life on campus.

• It sounds like a no-brainer, but you must attend all your classes, no matter how early in the morning they are. Believe it or not, your presence in class helps your grades go up since most professors award marks for attendance. It’s easy to give in to the temptation to skip classes mostly because there’s no one prodding you to attend and because you’re not punished (with detention) as in school for no-shows. But it’s punishment enough when your grades suffer, so ensure that you’re there in body, if not in mind.

• If you’re confused about your major and the classes you need to take, talk to your advisor to see if he/she can guide you. Make sure you do sign up for those that are required. Go through the list of classes offered and see if there are any that interest you and which fit into your schedule.
• A good way to make sure that you will enjoy your classes is to sign up for more courses than required, attend the first few sessions of each, and then stay on at the ones that interest you the most while dropping out of the rest.
  Make friends with sophomore and senior students; they will be able to offer guidance regarding the ability of each professor and the level of interest each class holds.

• There’s no harm in signing up for more classes than required; extra credits are always welcome. But make sure that you don’t end up taxing yourself too much by taking on more than you can handle.
• Make sure that you’re up to date with your test and assignment due dates. College is not like school where your parents and teachers are constantly reminding you of what’s due when.
• Question things that you don’t know and don’t understand instead of staying silent and failing your tests because you were too shy to speak up in class.
• Get to know your professors and teaching assistants at the start of the semester so that you’re able to approach them when you need guidance in any particular subject.
• Give your class work priority over the social aspects of college that vie for your time. It’s going to be difficult to pore over your books working on that assignment that’s due in the morning when your friends are partying, but do remember that you’re at college to study and get good grades.
• And last but not the least, keep in good health with sensible eating habits and a regular exercise plan combined with enough sleep so that you’re able to cope with the demands of academic life on campus without falling ill or having a nervous breakdown.

This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of the the best online college. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com.