Taking Initiative

First-Year Programs

Many colleges have special programs (sometimes known as "freshman year initiatives" or "learning communities") in which groups of entering students are assigned identical schedules for their first year of college.

Colleges hope to achieve several objectives by grouping students in this way:

First-year students are all together, so advisors and counselors can visit the whole group regularly. When your advisor or counselor is right there, it can be easier to solve academic or personal problems. Other important college staff, like librarians, may also show up to give workshops or presentations.
Professors in these programs often collaborate on assignments, so your writing professor, for example, may choose to have you do the kind of writing that he knows you'll have to do in your sociology class. In turn, your sociology professor may talk to the person teaching statistics because she thinks that there are relevant intersections between those two courses. All this collaboration means that classes meaningfully build upon each other.
By assigning specific courses—or a more limited menu of choices than you'd otherwise have—first-year programs reduce some of the stress of arranging your schedule and help you get required classes out of the way.
When you're with the same group of students, it's easier to make friends and other social contacts. This can be especially important at larger nonresidential (commuter) campuses—they might otherwise be lonely places.

If your college has a first-year program, definitely think of taking part; it should help with your transition to college.

College! Finally, no one is telling you what to do every step of the way; you have some hard-won independence. On the other hand, unlike high school, you have to do everything yourself!

It takes some getting used to, but the need to take charge of your own destiny is a fact of college life—and of adult life in general.

Fortunately, modern colleges work with you to make this transition to independence. There are mechanisms in place to help you with everything from selecting classes to dealing with a personal emotional crisis.

Of course, you must first seek out that help yourself. But it's there.

Campus Resources: Use Them!

Adjusting to college life is seldom easy. The good news: colleges know that! Over the years, most institutions have developed procedures and created staff positions and resource centers that are dedicated to helping students help themselves.

The cost of using these services is usually included in your tuition. In other words, you've paid for it already, so if you need to, take advantage of:

Office Hours

Did you know that your professors have the responsibility to make time available before or after class to talk about any aspect of your coursework? Holding office hours is one of the tasks they are paid to perform. Take the initiative by reaching out to them and asking for an appointment.

Registration Help

Nearly all registration now takes place online, making it difficult to find a friendly, helpful face. However, there are faculty and staff in every department who will be happy to help you understand your options. Take the first step to approach them.

Tutoring/Learning Center

There may come a time when you feel that the coursework is too difficult, that you cannot keep up with the work…in short, that you just don't get it! When you feel lost in the maze of classwork, it's time to take advantage of your school's tutoring services.

Every college maintains a Writing Center and/or an Academic Skills (Learning) Center. Peer tutors are trained to assist you in writing, reading, and math. Make an appointment and show up on time!

Counseling

The demands of school, work, and family responsibilities may sometimes seem overwhelming. Whether your particular crisis is academic or personal, there is no good reason to suffer in silence or remain alone.

Most colleges maintain a counseling center staffed by professional psychologists who are ready, willing, and able to respond to any crisis of college or family life. Your academic advisor or any professor can help you get assistance when you are feeling overwhelmed.

Advisement

All first-year students should be assigned an academic advisor. This person can and will guide you in areas of academic scheduling and performance; testing; and disputes with faculty, staff, or other students. Basically, they assist you in negotiating the college bureaucracy.