Marissa Incitti
Features Editor

You’ve done it! You’ve graduated from high school and you’ve made it to college. Now what?

If you haven’t already noticed, college is completely different from high school.

Many freshmen fall into a merry-go-round of partying, sleeping, and hanging out, leaving their studies on the back burner.

Mom and Dad aren’t here to tell you when to do your homework or go to bed, and your teachers won’t tell you when your assignments are due; they expect you to have read your syllabus.

Navigating this newfound freedom that is peppered with responsibility can be tricky, so here are a couple of tips to survive and even thrive in your freshmen year.

First, always read your syllabus. It is your lifeline to the class and will tell you how to pass.

Highlighting due dates in your syllabus will make your life so much easier that you’ll even have time to watch your favorite show or hang out with your friends.

Mastering the ins-and-outs of college early can help you be successful all four years. Don’t forget to take adavantage of opportunities as they present themselves.

Take the highlighting one step further and actually write down in a calendar the tests dates, paper dates, and even homework assignments. Don’t

want to buy a calendar?

Microsoft Office has calendar templates you can customize and print out in the Student Memorial Center (SMC) for free.

Find the best place for you to study. With our library under construction, this is a tad more difficult than it should be. However, there are plenty of places for you to study in peace.

Sophomore Matt Stumpf studies in the SMC. “I like to study in Club de’ Ville downstairs in the Student Memorial Center.”

There are plenty of seats downstairs and there are study spaces you can reserve above the Galley. You can also find study spaces in McComsey, Gerhart, and the Winter Center.

Thanks to our new quiet hours, it is possible to study in your dorm room as well. Try to leave the TV and iPods off so you can retain more information.

Introducing yourself to your professor is a great way to start off the semester. This person is the only one who can clarify any questions or concerns about your class. Why wouldn’t you want to know them?

“Always call your professor by their correct title. It’s respectful,” says Meredith Saville a senior.

This will also show your professor that you are mature enough to be here, so when you come to them later asking about an assignment, they will give you their full attention and point you in the right direction.

Sometimes you may just not get it. You could also feel anxious and depressed. Recognizing when you need professional help such as tutoring or the counseling center will help you and save you a ton of stress.

Learning Services is the home of the tutoring center and is located on the third floor of Lyle Hall.

Almost every subject has a tutor that you can use for extra help. Both the counseling center and the tutoring center are free and open to all students. Take advantage of them.

Finally, be prepared to feel overwhelmed. There is a ton going on in your life right now and it’s okay to feel as though you’ve been shoved under a bus.

The trick is knowing that you aren’t the only one who feels that way. Have fun while navigating this new terrain and take advantage of opportunities as they come your way.