By Katie Aurand
Editor in Chief

Failure is embarrassing and expensive. These nine tips will keep you from becoming that student that takes Calculus 1 for the third time in a row.

1. Go to every class.

Just because the local school board won’t send a bunch of truancy notifications to your parents doesn’t mean you should skip your classes. That pop quiz your professor has been threatening the class with will inevitably happen the day that you decide cliff jumping sounds more fun than attending aquatic chemistry. Fail.

2. Do your homework.

Even if your homework is not graded, do it. Oftentimes the homework questions will be almost exactly the same as the questions on the test the following month.

3. Get to know your professors.

They will end up being your best friends or your worst enemies. Attending class and doing your homework makes it less intimidating to talk with them outside of class hours. The best thing to do is introduce yourself during one of the first class periods. Show you are interested in their class (even if you aren’t) and great opportunities could come your way in the form of research positions, letters of recommendation or good grades.

4. Form a study group.

You are more likely to complete that homework assignment on time if you set up a meeting time with other students in the class. It will just be embarrassing if you put off the assignment, so you will end up doing it on time with everybody else. Also, you will be embarrassed if you are constantly not understanding the material in the study group, so it will motivate you to do extra studying outside of the group meeting time. And the phrase “divide and conquer” is very effective.

5. Keep a planner.

Classes, work, student organizations, socializing… a college student’s schedule fills up quickly. In order to remember that your research paper worth one-third of your grade is due tomorrow, write it down in a planner. Whenever you receive an assignment or schedule a meeting, jot it down so you won’t forget about it. Of course, not only should you write things down, you should also review what you are supposed to do that day.

6. Find your ideal study environment.

Your roommate is playing Halo 3 and screaming at the TV so you move to the Surbeck lobby to study. The Surbeck Lobby is full of study groups debating over what chemical process would most effectively remove sulfur dioxide from coal so you move again to the library. The library is so quiet that when you accidentally drop your pen you almost wet your pants you’re so startled, so you finally decide that you will just have to fail your test tomorrow. What you should have done is found your ideal study environment where there was a coffee shop ambiance background – not too loud but not cemetery quiet. Pinpointing an ideal study environment right away will save lots of time and frustration during the semester. It will also allow you to use your study time more effectively, which will free up more time to do other things – like beat your roommate in Halo 3.

7. Utilize your free periods.

You have a class break from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. It may be tempting to scurry back to your dorm room to play WoW, but instead shuffle your backpack over to the library and work on the homework assignment your professor just handed out. By keeping distractions at bay during the day, you can accomplish a lot more. Treat class as if it was an 8-to-5 job, and you will have the evenings free to stare at the TV or climb a mountain.

8. Seek help.

It’s the smart students who go to the learning center in the basement of the library. Admitting you just cannot grasp thermodynamics is not embarrassing- it’s the first step to recovery. Ask the curve-wrecker in class to help you study for the next test- obviously he’s doing something right. Or ask an upperclassman who took the class the year before to meet you for a short study session. And remember how you got to know your professor? Well get to know him a little better by arranging a meeting to get extra help on Maxwell’s equations.

9. Get involved.

Physics is a lot more fun when you are designing an airplane for the Aero Design team. Joining an activity or two will allow you to apply your knowledge outside of the classroom, making class seem more relevant and interesting. Joining activities also allows you to connect with other students who have taken your classes before.