You’ve completed online orientation, registered for classes, gotten familiar with Canvas and skimmed through professor reviews on ratemyprofessor.com. Now comes the part of college that can be daunting for any new student, adjusting or re-adjusting to an unfamiliar academic environment and succeeding with your classes.
With the fall semester beginning in less than two weeks on Monday, Aug. 26, new college students might be finding themselves in need of some help. You’ll hear cliché advice like, “Don’t skip class, don’t be late and do your homework,” but professors have more advice to give than what you may have learned in orientation.
So whether you’re a recent high school graduate or returning to college after a break, here are tips from three professors to help make your time at Southwestern College a success.
Dr. Erin Browder, Anthropology Professor
“You can change your major at anytime, don’t feel tied to your declared major. Also, remember that this a phase in your life where you have the most possible time and chance to explore who you are right now and how you’ll get there.”
Cruz Eduardo Villanueva Huerta, Math Professor
“You don’t want to just ‘pass’ a class, make sure you really understand the material. You might need that class for another course, and if you barely have a good understanding of the class you might have a hard time in the next course. Many new students start college with poor study skills. They have no idea of the level of commitment they will have to put into their classes to do well. In college there are higher standards and expectations, so a new student might not want to overwhelm themselves by taking too many classes their first couple of semesters.”
Dr. Christopher Vito, Sociology Professor
“Don’t wait to talk to your teachers. Many teachers want to help you, but we can’t if we don’t know what you need. I would recommend for new students to not be afraid to ask for advice or assistance, whatever it might be. Another thing I would recommend is to get involved on campus, it can help you feel more comfortable and familiar with the campus.”
