How to Prepare for a New Semester!

The best way to prepare for a new semester is to be organized.  Being organized ensures the smoothest transition into college life.  Make sure you meet with your adviser before signing up for classes.  Don't buy your textbooks just yet.  Make sure your room is ready and supplies are well equipped before embarking on a new semester.  Organization is key.  It reduces many headaches when you are planning ahead and scheduling life.  Life can get hectic so my best advise is to be organized, schedule everything, and always work ahead when you can.  You’ll thank yourself later. 

Rule of thumb, is to always wait till your professor advises you to read and purchase a book, before you throw money out of the window. Especially professors on quarterly schedules, mandate every book in the syllabus must be read.  That’s why it's best to be patient and only get the book if you need to and when your professor tells you too.  This is the smartest way to ensure you are reading the correct material and save a couple bucks on the other end.

Always, always always meet with an advisor.  I make sure to meet with an advisor to double check I am selecting the correct classes, make sure they are in the correct sequence, and gain some great insight on what to expect in my classes. Timing is also crucial.  Make sure you know the dates of registration, and drop dates.  Always write both registration and drop dates in your calendar just incase.  Reading a course catalog can be intimidating.  It could also be confusing on which are the correct classes for your major as well as general education classes.  At most universities now classes are sequenced on level of intensity.  As the classes get harder you get further into the sequence.  It never hurts to double check that you are taking the right sequence in the correct order.  Advisors hear from other students and have a bit of information regarding professors and toughness of different classes.  It never hurts to know what to expect.  Advisors are there to help you, they are trained on this kind of stuff and are great listeners on how to best prepare for different classes to come. 

Listen to your parents and take advise from all the dorm pamphlets. Your parents know best on what to pack even if you think it's silly.  Your parents have lived on their own either during their years of college or now.  They are well equipped with knowledge on what is necessary for survival.  Even if you don't want to take the extra umbrella, I suggest listening to them.  As soon as it rains hard enough on you, you’d wish you listened to your parents.  Making lists and taking pictures of everything is a great way to stay organized and know all the stuff you have.  I eventually grew up and realized my parents were always right.  It is best to take their advice.   They are older and wise, it's best for you to listen. 

Preparing for a new semester of college can be overwhelming.  The best advice I have is to stay organized, keep a schedule, meet with your advisor, wait on buying textbooks and lastly listen to your parents when it comes to dorm life.