Use these tricks to pass this semester with flying colors

With the start of every semester comes a new course load, schedule and familiarizing yourself with classmates and teachers. Whether you're a first-year figuring out WebReg for the first time, or a junior in the thick of your college career, establishing study habits and figuring out a routine that works for you can make all the difference.

If you want to set yourself up for long-term academic prowess, now is the time, before midterms and projects come creeping up. Below are some strategies you should implement for your own benefit in the classroom.

Keep track of important due dates

When your professor goes over the syllabus on the first day of class or sporadically mentions important due dates throughout the weeks, jot them down immediately. 

Use what works best for you, this could be Notion, Google Calendar or a physical planner, and keep track of due dates as they are discussed in class. This will help you avoid forgetting assignments in the future and keep you so much more organized.

Introduce yourself to your professor

Office hours — everyone talks about it, and your professors always stress its importance, but who even goes? Well, you should.

Rutgers classes, especially lectures, can fill up with hundreds of students, making it harder to stand out.

If you attend office hours, you can get tailored answers to your specific questions, clarify important concepts and form stronger relationships with your professor, all of which will ultimately benefit you, inside and outside of the classroom. You'd be surprised to hear how many connections and opportunities they have at their disposal.

Take the time to talk with your professor and participate in class, but even seemingly small actions can show your engagement. Make eye contact with them, nod along to their points and stay focused.

If office hours seem too daunting or time-consuming, don't worry! Almost all professors offer this extra time to help their students flourish.

Form study groups

It's always useful to find people who want to study with you. After all, collaboration is an important component of success.

Through studying with your classmates, you'll have the additional brainpower to solve a difficult problem. They could also enlighten you with an alternative solution that you otherwise wouldn't have come up with on your own.

But, don't forget — college is also about maintaining a social life. Having a study buddy or a study group makes preparing for finals more painless, and maybe even more enjoyable. If you're trying to find out if you're behind or ahead in a class, working closely with classmates in study groups is a great way to find out.

Do it sooner, rather than later

Professors always harp on this, but it's for a reason — don't leave things until the last minute. Procrastinating only makes you more stressed and gives you less time to work on assignments efficiently.

It's always better to work ahead. When you have downtime, complete your assignments and knock things off of your to-do list.  

It is a no-brainer that if you want to thrive in class, you need to submit things on time. But, if you go one step further and do your assignments earlier, you can devote more time to them. Instead of worrying about a time crunch, use this newfound extra time to study or on your personal hobbies.

Utilize campus resources

If study groups don't work for you and talking to your professor doesn't help, try the on-campus learning centers or tutoring services, instead.

These on-campus resources give you more one-on-one time with tutors. If you're unsure of what works best for you, these thorough sessions can help. Resources are there for you, so take advantage of them and feel the weight of assignments lifting off your shoulders.

If your semester's off to a rocky start, don't worry. Follow these tips or start experimenting to find what habits work best for you.