5 Smart Things to Do During Syllabus Week
August is here which means a new semester is quickly approaching. Syllabus week and then introductory material can make for a mind numbing start of the semester.
The smart students know though that these first few class days set the tone for the rest of the semester. So let’s get to it!
Here are 5 ways to start the semester off right:
Listen to your instructor
The first day (and many other days) of class can be extremely boring. You’re going to have to focus hard though and pay attention to your instructor on the first day of class. It’s a necessity!
Many things will be discussed: expectations of students, make up/late work policies, assignment/test due dates, textbook/software requirements, and so on.
These details may seem trivial but they are very important. You especially want to pay attention to things like if there is a teaching assistant that can help on homework, are Scantron forms needed for exams, will there be projects or group work.
If you have questions that weren’t answered by the instructor, now’s the time to ask.
Buy the required materials
If a textbook or software is needed make sure you buy it the first week if at all possible. Every semester I get emails from students wanting an extension on homework because they didn’t get a textbook in time.
This doesn’t give a good impression and more than likely you’re not going to get a penalty-free extended due date. Getting points deducted or getting a zero on the initial assignment isn’t a good way to start the semester.
So, do yourself a favor and just get the books and other needed materials during the syllabus week.
Actually use the syllabus
Sounds crazy, but a lot of students just throw the syllabus in the trash after the first week.
The syllabus is essentially a contract between you and the instructor.
Would you knowingly throw away any other contract? No! Of course not! So don’t do it with this one.
A well-written syllabus states all the things you are responsible for throughout the semester. Many times it gives deadlines for when these things are due.
Use this information to your advantage! Get you a planner and write down all the important dates for the semester.
Now writing all this down isn’t helpful unless you make it a point to actually CHECK the calendar at least once every week to make sure you are not missing anything.
Make note of office hours
Note when office hours are available with your instructors and teaching assistants. You’ll want to make use of this time that’s available to you.
If you have questions about a topic covered in class, go get it explained to you again in a one-on-one setting. Or take a group of classmates with you if you don’t want to go alone. Just go!
Don’t get behind on a topic because you don’t understand it – that will hurt you in the long run. Go get help!
Office hours are typically required for instructors teaching a course so they have to be there anyways. Think of office hours as time you already paid for through your tuition bill.
An added benefit… you’ll get to know your faculty members. This will be helpful when you need that last-minute letter of recommendation or reference for a job.
Believe it or not, most professors enjoy talking to their students outside of the classroom so take advantage of it!
Review that prerequisite material you thought you’d never see again
Does your course have required prerequisite courses? If so, then in most cases you will be expected to remember what you learned in those previous courses.
I know it’s easy to think at the end of each semester that once a class is over that you’re permanently done with it but that’s not the case… especially for STEM majors.
Remember that Calculus 1 class you took three semesters ago? Well that material is suddenly going to show up at some point when you least expect it. Prepare for it!
The prerequisite courses tell you what you’ll need to review. If you want to narrow it down some, just ask the instructor what material is needed from each of the prereq courses and then review that material.
It’s a pain, I know, but it will help you out long term. Plus, the instructor will know you’re trying your best to be prepared which is always a good thing.
Get in the habit of taking good notes
Good notes will be the key to doing well this semester. Many instructors use PowerPoint slides to go over concepts.
These slides are bullet points and half the time they come from the textbook company and they don’t convey info you really need.
That’s where good note taking skills come in to play.
Listen to what the instructor says and fill in those key details during the lecture. Is something written on the board? Write it down!
If time is being taken to write something out, there’s a good chance you need to know it. You can also take pics of the board to make sure you got everything, if the prof will allow it.
Once you get home, remember to rewrite the notes that same day. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, rewriting notes the same day keeps you from forgetting things and it helps you better follow what was covered in class. Good notes… you gotta have ’em!
Time put in now reduces stress felt later
Are the first couple of weeks of class going to be boring? More than likely yes. But use this slow time to prepare for the busy times that are coming your way and get into an good routine.
Putting in a little bit of time and effort now will save you from unneeded stress later. Happy studying and good luck with the new semester!
