Take only five classes your first semester of college. This is the average number recommended by most colleges and allows you to evaluate your schedule, study habits and manage your workload. Too many classes and not enough time is an accident waiting to happen.
Get to class on time. Besides the fact that many professors deduct points from your final grade for tardiness, as an adult, arriving on time says a lot about your character. As professors may be your only reference as you enter your post college career, impressing them with punctuality is an easy way to make a good impression.
Hand assignments in on time. Not only ensuring your grade is based on your actual academics and not your lifestyle habits, punctual assignments help set the habit of the next four years, and promote self-discipline and work ethic--all skills for the life after college.
Make friends with the students who sit next to you in every class. Not only will this provide a buddy to copy notes from or relay missed homework assignments, your proximity may mean group work together and being social makes things a lot easier. Being social and having discussions is the one of the best things about college.
Find a mentor. Senior students, students who work on campus and professors all have experience of the college system and can provide solid advice. College advisers do a great job as well but in big schools, they can be inaccessible. Advice from experienced people helps the college roller coaster just a little smoother.
Join a group, club, society or volunteer program on campus. This will provide not only an outlet to academic frustration, but helps build social networks and friends for life. The fact that it looks good on a resume should also be taken into consideration.
Remember learning can be fun. When a student is bogged down with 30-page assignments, it can be hard to remember that college is a place to discuss debate, dissect, criticize, question and join in. Laugh, make friends, work hard and enjoy rather than survive the undergraduate college years.