Fall Semester Begins August 24, 2009 for Many Students!

Today marks the last day of summer vacation for hundreds of thousands of college students. While many will not return for another week or so, plenty of institutions around the country (and world, for that matter), get their students started early. Tomorrow is the first official day of class for those students!

While many students are finding great sadness that their freedom will end tomorrow, most are likely feeling a whole bunch of other emotions, both positive and negative. There is a lot of anticipation about school: what will my fellow students be like, what will my professors be like, what kinds of things will I read, what papers will I have to write, will the exams be hard, will the cafeteria food be palatable. These and a thousand other questions are circling in the minds of almost all students, especially first-year students, bringing with them a mixture of excitement and anxiety.

The reality is that life in college represents a rather drastic departure from the norm, again primarily for first-year students who are new to the whole thing. Do not allow yourself to think that you are the only one who is feeling a bit scared. It makes sense to get as prepared as possible. Spend some time reading informational materials which you can easily find online, such as this site.

Also, take it easy upon yourself the first few weeks! Just make sure you get to class on time, pay attention, keep up on your homework including both reading assignments and any writing/computational assignments, and be sure to eat and sleep regularly. Scout out a few clubs or groups you might want to join, and narrow down the list to one or two; this is important not just because you want to meet some new friends, but also because over time, participation in such groups will become a critical part of your future resume.

Perhaps most important, keep an eagle eye on yourself. The second you notice yourself slipping in any way (such as having trouble getting enough healthy food to eat), be proactive! Make sure you find the nourishment you need. Make sure you insist upon getting enough rest every night, even if it means having a talk with your new roommate. And if you find that you are having trouble early-on with one or more classes, do not (and I repeat do not) ignore the problem thinking it will go away. It will not go away.

You must act right away to resolve any academic issues you might be having; otherwise they will snowball and you'll end up failing one or more classes. I'm not trying to scare you, just trying to tell you the truth. Things happen much more quickly on the college level and no parents can come to your school and explain things to your teachers. If you neglect things like term papers and essays, they will accumulate so rapidly that you won't have a hope in the world of writing them all.

So, find your school's writing labs and other tutoring centers, make sure you know your professors' office hours, and get yourself set up with a legitimate academic writing and research company. The sooner you act, the sooner you will save yourself grief.

In the meantime, enjoy this last day of summer break! And if you are one of those who won't be starting for a week or two, don't worry; your time will come.