For some, the college experience can be tumultuous. Sure, college is a very exciting time in a person’s life; however, if you have no idea what you are doing, that excitement can quickly turn into frustration.
When I started college, I had no idea what I was doing. As a result, I had to learn some things the hard way. If you are a freshman or a continuing student and in a similar predicament, you are welcome to keep reading.

1. It’s OK to take your time. Don’t be in too much of a rush that you forget to actually enjoy the college experience. Don’t take it for granted. Time goes by really fast and the next thing you know, you’ll be a senior in college wondering where the time went. Additionally, taking 15 credits per semester is not the only option for graduating on time, especially if you’re not comfortable with doing so. There are Winter and Summer semester courses available in addition to Fall and Spring, so if you feel like 15 credits each semester is overwhelming, take a winter or summer class to keep up with your graduation date.
2. You don’t have to buy or rent your textbooks at the bookstore. There are sites such as Amazon, Valorebooks, Chegg, etc. which often rent and sell textbooks at a cheaper price than the bookstore. You can also check your local library to see if they have the book available.
3. Make a schedule that works for you! If you are not a morning person and are not ready to get up early to make it to your 8 a.m. class, do not take an 8 a.m. class. A lot of professors take attendance and penalize tardiness, so if you know you are going to have a hard time that early, look for classes that start later in the day. Why set yourself up for failure?
4. Get to know your adviser and utilize them! Advisers are awesome because they help you navigate your way through college. Don’t know which class to take or if you are in the right class? Talk to your adviser. They are willing to help you, all you need to do is to reach out to them.
5. Office hours are very helpful. If you have an assignment that you don’t quite understand or if there is a concept that you are not getting, office hours maybe the perfect time for you to seek help with these issues. Your professor may not have time in class to go over something with you and this is why office hours are important.
6. Learn how to cite! You may come across a professor who is serious about students citing something correctly. While I haven’t had a professor refuse a paper because my citations were either wrong or incorrect, I have had professors who take points away for not citing correctly or using the right format.
7. Utilize the resources on campus. There are a lot of resources on campus available for you. Don’t be afraid to utilize whatever service you think you might need. Some of these include the Ross Center for Disability Services, Career Services, the Counseling Center,  Subject Tutoring, and more.