As a freshman, it is not only okay to have no idea what to major in, it's also a sign of an open mind to the diverse menu that college has to offer. Hopefully, you are choosing courses which seem interesting to you rather than classes that parents or peers say you have to take immediately.
To me, a college class is just like a Hollywood screenplay, with peaks, valleys, and escalating conflicts along the way. Your professor may be the writer, director, and critic, but you are the lead actor and protagonist who must navigate the obstacles and perform well on each test thrown at you. Try to keep in mind though, that professors are actually rooting for you to succeed. When you fail, they fail.
If you maintain a clear perspective and a healthy sense of humor, these classroom tips should help you through that first college semester:
- The first day of class is the most important session because it sets the tone for the semester. Rather than grabbing a syllabus, tuning out, and leaving, expect more from yourself that day. You have the power to stay in or drop the class, so intently gauge the course relevance, workload, and potential deliverables.
Finally, college success (whatever that means to you) is more than doing well in the classroom. It's also about figuring out your place in this world. Along the way, it is inevitable that you will occasionally make irrational decisions and not even know why. That topic will be addressed in my next blog post entitled: 10 Tips for Thriving in College Life.
Perry Binder is a legal studies professor at Georgia State University. His classroom tips are from his book, 99 Motivators for College Success, along with other tips on his 99 Motivators blog.
