5 Tips for New College Students

In the second half of June I got to run some of the New Student Orientations for our department. The students started their day early in the morning, and then in the afternoon they met with faculty members from their major departments (e.g., me) to learn about how to choose classes for their degree, in order to prepare themselves for the registration session later in the day.

Each time a group of students and I met, we talked about points to keep in mind to get oriented to being in college. Unlike Transfer Student Orientations, NSOs include a component for understanding degree requirements, reading the course catalog, completing prerequisites, and wading through semesterly course schedules—things that are easy but that take a bit of getting used to.

There were other points, though, that I wanted incoming students to remember, as they worked their way through their degree programs. Before I forget them (and so that I can file away my papers for NSO), I thought I would log them here.

1. College is different from high school. Duh—just like some high schools are different from other high schools. College instructors only see their students a few times a week, and the density of contact is less than in high school. That often means it's not possible for college instructors to give individual attention to their students as much as they would like (e.g., I have 100+ students each semester, and I'm just not able to be in constant contact with everyone at all times). So, it's up to you to initiate contact with the faculty when something is up. Go to your instructors' office hours, chat with them before/after class, email them quick notices... It's not just a faculty request, it's a faculty need. 
2. It's on the syllabus. Seriously. If you have a question, 92% of the time the answer is on the syllabus. Read it before you ask me the question. There's no such thing as a stupid question, but some questions do influence my opinion of you. Also, I saw that all of our incoming freshmen got free planners through NSO—yay! Log in all the important dates for your courses in there: deadlines, exams, holidays, etc. Time management is one of the best friends you'll ever make on your road to success.
3. Spread out your major classes across academic terms. As much as you might love [insert your major field here], it can get to be kind of a bitch having to take four classes in the same department in a single academic term. In order to prevent burnout, try to take a few major classes each term. That way you'll be able to maintain intellectual balance over time and stay motivated about majoring in your chosen field. 
4. Major in something because you want to learn more about it, not because you think it's going to get you a job. I heard this advice from my own undergrad advisor, who, of course, was an English professor—so maybe this was a form of retroactive justification? Anyway, if you're going to spend four years (more or less) studying something, better make it something that you're curious about and love spending time thinking about. I've seen way too many Business majors who, by the end of their time in college, are hating their lives and are just about ready to poke their eyeballs out. 
5. Value both focus and flexibility. Yes, it's nice to graduate "on time"—whatever that means for you. (And don't let universities force you out after four years just because they need to raise graduation rates, if you would rather stay longer.) Focus and planning are important to stay "on track" and to fulfill all your graduation requirements. But, know that college is a time and place where you learn and get exposed to all sorts of new things—classes, issues, people, etc. If you encounter something that totally takes you on a path that you hadn't planned for, it doesn't hurt to go down it as much as you are practically able. As long as you're having fun, you'll be a "success" in the way that matters most. 

Oh, summer break... why must you be so short? I still have way too many books I haven't finished reading...