Welcome to SMU, first-year students! While yesterday’ssoggy weather was an unfortunate damper on the first day of yourundergraduate career, we seasoned Dallas residents assure you thatthe scorching summer sun will soon transform the campus into adangerously bright atmosphere. Alas, the perennial First Day ofClass Fashion Show was all but ruined by the storms, though somestalwarts of tradition still attempted to traverse campus in highheels and summer fashions.
By now, the mysterious enigma of college classes and professorsis beginning to unravel and you are finding that anyPepto-necessitating nervousness was unfounded. Professors aremostly fun and courses are mostly manageable, which contrastssharply with every college-based motion picture ever produced. Ofcourse, the Pepto Bismol still has a place in your medicine cabinet(e.g. the basket under your sink), since Umphrey Lee will soonbegin serving its real repertoire. What…do you honestlybelieve they serve steak when no expense-paying parents arepresent?
Though relieving to know that you are not expected to solve theReimann Hypothesis in an introductory math course, the workload isstill intense. Also, many students realize too late the importanceof early college grades, especially those applying to graduateprograms. For instance, law and medical school applications arecompleted during the fall of senior year, which means that you havemerely six semesters to solidify a pristine GPA. Plus, after a fewsemesters, that nasty number seems to barely budge. Perhaps wespoke too soon about shelving the Pepto.
A solid start is, therefore, imperative, so we have compiled alist of proven techniques from the academic superstars.
First, visit each professor during office hours to introduceyourself. A five-minute conversation helps them put names withfaces and you will have no trepidations about seeking assistanceduring office hours in the future.
Second, the Learning Enhancement Center is a great resource,especially when professors are not available, so become familiarwith its location (on the side of the football stadium) as soon aspossible.
Third, while staying on schedule with assignments is the loftygoal of some students, the top aces get ahead on reading during thefirst weeks of the semester. This plan is especially appealingbecause the pace of coursework is often slower in early weeks, andbuilding a “reserve” of completed assignmentseliminates the dangers associated with taking a night off.
Following these suggestions might not ensure your spot atHarvard Medical School (acceptance rate: 4 percent and falling),but they will make the difficult transition from high school tocollege slightly easier.
