I was so nervous to start my freshman year of college. Like everyone else starting college, I had no idea what to expect. You hear lots of different things from people, some scare you, some excite you.
I’m here to tell you the 5 things that I found to be true about syllabus week.
1. Your professors are going to make the class seem a lot harder than it will be
I found this to be a common theme with every syllabus week, every single year. They want to prepare you to be ready to work hard, but it won’t be as difficult as it seems.
I’ve been super nervous for certain classes after the first day, but they turn out to be some of my favorites or end up being an easy A.
This isn’t to say that your classes will be easy. I just have experienced being really overwhelmed the first week of classes then realizing it’s not THAT hard.
2. Don’t buy every textbook right away
Whatever you do, don’t buy any textbooks during the first week. If I waited until week 2 or 3 to buy the “required” textbook… well I’d have saved a ton of money. I’d say more than 50% of the classes I’ve taken have “required” the book, but never used it for anything.
If your professor tells you that you have an assignment due during the first week that you need the textbook for, then get it obviously. If any of your professors seem wishy-washy on wether you’ll need it, then it’s safe to wait.
3. Pay attention to the add/drop period
I didn’t know I was able to add or drop classes my first semester of freshman year. My school uses D2L (equivalent to BlackBoard) and you can drop classes right online on your student dashboard.
Luckily, all my classes my first semester were fine and I didn’t want to drop any, but it’s good to know that you can.
If you are thinking about dropping any classes ask your advisor first if you aren’t sure wether you need it or not! Just make sure you know the last day you can add or drop to make sure you have all the right classes you need and want.
4. Don’t SKIP!
This is a huge tip! Professors are getting to know you the first week. You don’t want their first impression of you to be that you are a skipper. Not only are they getting to know you, they also give lots of information about how they grade, if the final will be optional, what their absence policy is, etc.
5. Write down every single important date from the syllabus
My final tip will make set you up for a great semester. Take the time during syllabus week to write down every due date and exam date in your planner, journal, or calendar app (whatever you prefer).
You don’t want to miss any assignments, quizzes, or exams throughout the semester. One mistake of not turning something in could result in you failing the course entirely. Write every date down!
Also, make sure you are utilizing whatever you use for planning. Some people prefer the calendar app on their phone or computer rather than a planner. If you don’t know what you like best then use this week to figure out what you like.
I hope these tips help you out during syllabus week. If you are a freshman- good luck on your first semester of college! It’s going to be so much fun!
