START YOUR YEAR WITH SUCCESS, STRATEGIZE YOUR TIME!

REFLECTION: WHY WOULD I NEED THIS? As a college student, you are responsible for managing your own schedule (if you didn’t already know!) Your schedule may look very different than in high school – You might not be taking the same classes at the same time every day – You might not be required to turn in assignments during every class – You decide when you wake up, eat, sleep, and whether to even attend classes – Pro Tip: Attend all your classes!

GETTING ORGANIZED: WHAT WORKS FOR YOU? Get a calendar or planner: – Phone Calendar – Wall Calendar – Planner from the OSU Beaver Store – Use a combination of these – Pro Tip: Actually use your system! – Pro Tip: Use your syllabi to help fill your calendar! (back to back Pro Tips!) Using your calendar to plan ahead is an important step to getting organized for college. – When are your readings due for class? – Assignments/midterms/group presentations? – Pro Tip: Review daily or weekly (based on your schedule)

PRO STATUS: LEVEL UP YOUR TIME INSERT TERM AT A GLANCE SAMPLE Want to get on another level? /time-management

Placeholder for Term at a Glance Copies (place near term at a glance sample)Term at a Glance Copies

DID YOU KNOW? HELPFUL REMINDERS Write it down – Your calendar or planner will fill up quickly -- it's hard to remember everything you need to do if it's not written down somewhere Take care of yourself – Spend a little time every day to relax, hang out with friends, and put your own wellness first Sleep! – Do not underestimate the power of a good night's sleep. Waking up refreshed means you are more attentive and ready to learn and retain information Know thyself – When and where do you learn best? If you can't focus on learning when you're in your room, try a new location! Maybe you're better at concentrating when you're at Peet's Coffee & Tea, or in the study rooms at the Valley Library, or somewhere off campus If you find yourself yawning and unable to concentrate when you try to study right after dinner (food coma, anyone?), switch up your study time! Try waking up an hour early to get some reading done and see how it feels – Pro Tip: Figure out your learning style early:

SYLLABI: LEARN TO LOVE ‘EM Syllabus: a document created by instructors to give students all the information they need about a course – Pro Tip: Read, learn, and know your syllabi. And don’t lose them! – Acts as: contact sheet, schedule, guide, and course preview – Includes: course description, an outline of assignments and due dates, test dates, material to be covered, and more (Source: entation/Reading%20a%20syllabus.pdf) entation/Reading%20a%20syllabus.pdf – Pro Tip: “Syllabi” is the plural form of “syllabus”

FOCUS: PARTS OF A SYLLABUS Contact information for your instructor and TA (teaching assistant) Office hours for your instructor(s) – Pro Tip: Visit your instructors during office hours! – They can clarify any questions about assignments or what to expect on exams. – You can also establish a relationship with them, which could be useful for listing as references on job applications down the road. Course policies and expectations – Helpful for knowing what your instructor expects from students related to attendance, participation, missing exams, and general classroom behavior Grading and evaluation system – What percentage of your final grade is determined by participation? The weekly assignments? The final exam? – Knowing this information can help you prioritize your efforts. Course materials – What are the required readings and texts (authors, titles, edition, and ISBN)? Does this class use BlackBoard? (Do you know what BlackBoard is?) Course calendar – Reading the course calendar will tell you when readings are due, what topics are being covered each week, due dates for assignments and projects, and the dates for exams.