8 Tips

TO ROCK YOUR SEMESTER

Table of
Contents

INTRO

8 TIPS

Tip #1: Get Oriented

Tip #2: Get Organized

Tip #3: Mix and Mingle

Tip #4: Prepare for Academic Success

Tip #5: Get (Tech) Help

Tip #6: Dont Worry about Your Career

Tip #7: Watch Your Money

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Tip #8: Dont Forget About Yourself

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YOUR SEMESTER CHECKLIST

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OUTRO

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I N T RO

Getting Back to Class

No doubt about it: college can be stressful. The beginning
of the semester can feel especially overwhelming, even if
youre no stranger to college life. Every semester, there
are new places to discover, new things to learn and new
friends to meet.
Your college wants you to succeed.
Remember that.

Student success is important to your college. Thats

why resources are in place to help youwhether youre
in your first year or your last. If you have questions or
concerns at any point, ask. Dont know whom to ask?
Start with your instructors.
To help you make the most of your semester, here are
eight essential tips:

www.mheducation.com/highered

TI P #1

Get Oriented

If youre taking classes on campus, youll feel more

comfortable if you know where theyre located. Even
if you know the campus well, head there before school
starts and map out where your classes meet. Spend time
reacquainting yourself with the student center, food
services, recreation facilities, financial aid office, career
center, and library. Knowing how long it will take you to
get from Point A to Point B on campus will help you feel
more relaxed when your classes get underway.
Taking classes online? Take a test drive in your virtual
classrooms. Log in early and often until you feel
comfortable. Make sure you know how to interact with
classmates and instructors and also how to submit your
coursework.
Confused? Uncertain? Ask for help.
Remember: Theres no such thing as a
stupid question.

Communication is vital in collegeso make sure you

know how to connect with your instructors, especially
outside of class. Do a quick Google searchor simply
ask your instructors for their phone numbers, office
locations and hours, and email addresses. If they give
you a personal cell phone number, ask if its okay to text.
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TI P #2

Get Organized

The key to success in college is to getand stay

organized. Once you have your course syllabus in hand,
use a term planner so that you get the big picture.
Whether youre a freshman or a senior, this tip can really
keep you on track.
Create a term planner with an
inexpensive print calendar or a digital
calendar. Use whichever method works
best for you.

With your chosen planner in hand, go to your colleges

website and find the academic calendar. Plug important
dates, such as holidays, school vacations and academic
due dates, into your planner. Then take your syllabus
and record test dates and due dates for papers, exams,
projects and other assignments.
Heres another good tip: If you have a major paper
or assignment due, set deadlines along the way. Your
planner is also a great way to keep track of personal
appointmentsand fun activities!

www.mheducation.com/highered

TI P #3

Mix and
Mingle

The best way to not feel alone in college is not to go

it alone. Even if you already have friends on campus,
make a goal to introduce yourself to at least one person
in each of your classes. Start with a nod or a smile.
As you meet new people, share your interests, needs
and goalsand ask about theirs. Create a network of
support by also getting to know faculty and staff.
Online courses can lead to online friends, too. Use the
discussion board or forum tools to introduce yourself.
If its possible, upload your photo so your virtual
classmates can put a face with your name.
Make friends outside
of the classroom, too.

Your college newspaper and bulletin boards around

campus are great places to find out about activities,
meetings, or other events on campus. If you have a
particular area of interest, check out student clubs
and organizations. Your colleges website is a great
resource. So are online newsletters. Getting involved is a
wonderful way to make friends.

www.mheducation.com/highered

TI P #4

Prepare for
Academic
Success

Your college years arent just about memorizing facts

and figures. Theyre about challenging your mind and
expanding your thinking. Youll learn to think critically, to
problem solve and to communicate more effectively
skills that are highly desired in the workplace.
To succeed in class,
you have to go to class.

From the first day of the semester, commit to going

to class every timeon timeeven if your instructor
doesnt take attendance. If possible, sit up front. Studies
show youll do better if you follow that simple advice.
Be an engaged learner: Take good notes and spend a
few minutes reviewing them shortly after class. Online
learners: Log in to your virtual class on the first day and
every couple of days after that.

www.mheducation.com/highered

TI P #5

Get (Tech)
Help

Technology plays a huge role in college classrooms

todayespecially if youre learning online. If youre not
tech-savvy, seek out help. More than likely, your college
offers resources on campusor on their website. Look
for workshops and orientation sessions to expand your
tech skills, too.
Know how technology is used.

Ask your instructors how to use the technology required

for their courses. Take notes so that you have them
to refer to in the future. Use the course technology
on your own. Turn to your instructors, classmates or
campus help services. Keep asking questions until you
understand.

www.mheducation.com/highered

TI P #6

Dont Worry
About Your
Career

If you know your career goals, great. But if you dont, try
not to stress about it. College is a time of exploration.
Remember your future career may not even be invented
yet. Relax and be open-minded.
Focus on your academic success
not your career success.

Rather than worrying about your future career,

concentrate on succeeding academically. If you do well in
college, youll likely do well in your job search. If you want
help clarifying your career goals, make an appointment
with your advisor or someone in your colleges career
services office.

www.mheducation.com/highered

TI P #7

Watch Your
Money

Paying tuition. Ordering books. Buying supplies. The

new semester can be especially costly. Youll have to pay
special attention to your spending so you dont deplete
your financial resources.
Make a budget and stick with it.

After your initial expenses, divide the amount of money

you have remaining by the number of weeks in the term.
Make sure to plan for financial emergencies, too. Then
with every purchasewhether its a cup of coffee or
a new penask yourself, Do I really need this? Your
choices should fit within your budget.

www.mheducation.com/highered

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TI P #8

Dont Forget
About Yourself

Staying healthy is imperative to your success in college.

You need to feel well to do well in the classroom. Eat
healthy foods. Get plenty of rest. Exercise. Follow those
tips to a healthy semesterand college career.
Reduce your stress by staying
on top of your studies.

Learning isnt a spectator sport. That means you cant sit

by and wait for your instructors to tell you what to do.
Use your syllabus to stay informed of assignments, such
as chapters you need to read. If you dont have time to
do a full reading, at least preview the text before class so
you can make sense of your lectures. Figure out how you
learn bestthen do that.

www.mheducation.com/highered

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C H E C KLI ST

Your Semester
Checklist
To start your semester off on the right
foot, use this handy checklist:
Check each task as you complete it.

r 5. Add two people, such as a staff or faculty member,

to your support network.
r 6. Sit at the front of room in each class or, if youre
an online learner, check into your online classes
daily.
r 7. Learn the features of any course management
software used in your classes. Get a flash drive or
a cloud account to save electronic information.

r 2. Create a digital or paper term planner.

r 8. Buy a notebook or folder for each class or create

class folders on your computer or flash drive. Get
a paper copy or download a syllabus for each class
and put it with the corresponding notebook or
folder.

r 3. Get names and phone numbers or e-mail addresses

for one person in each class. Save this information
in your cell phone or in your class notebook.

r 9. Buy your books right away. They are important

tools for the courses you take. Be sure you have
the right books and materials for each course.

r 4. Get a paper copy of your college catalog or

bookmark the catalog link on your computer.

r 10. Commit to making the most of your college

experience.

r 1. Get acquainted (or reacquainted) with basic

campus services. Save phone numbers on your
phone and bookmark links to services.

www.mheducation.com/highered

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OU TRO

Your Success
Begins Now

Start your first semester off on the right foot. Make

choices that support the outcomes you wantnot only
in college but also in life. Your future success really does
start with the decisions you make right now.

Want to study smarter, not harder?

Try SmartBook by McGraw-Hill
Education. Save up to 60% versus
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Credit: This eBook was written with information found in Choosing Success by Atkinson/Longman, 2e, First Steps to Choosing Success.
www.mheducation.com/highered

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