7 Tips to Prepare for Your First Day of Classes

When the first day of college is right around the corner, it is important that you are prepared. Your priorities should be to start classes feeling confident and to set yourself up for a successful college career. Getting yourself used to being in a routine and having a set schedule for your schoolwork and day-to-day obligations are crucial to being a successful student from start to finish. At Bryant & Stratton College, we recognize how difficult it can be to feel prepared for your first day of college classes, so we have created a list of tips and tricks for you to get ready for the big day!

1. Get Yourself into a Routine

Getting yourself into a routine is one of the best ways to be prepared for not only the first day of classes but also the rest of your time in college. Being able to wake up on time and get where you need to be or having your class assignments done on time if you are an online student is key to staying on track and earning a degree. Having or creating set times to get things done, wake up, go to bed, and have time for yourself will allow you to have a school-life balance that will keep you motivated and set you up for success.

Starting your routine ahead of time will get your mind and body used to doing tasks at certain times and allow you to adjust your schedule as needed. Finding a routine that suits you will take some time, so you should give yourself a kick start on your new schedule.

2. Review Your Class Schedule and Familiarize Yourself with Locations

If you are a student who is attending classes on-campus it is important that you familiarize yourself with your schedule and where you need to go. Doing so will give you the confidence that you need on the first day to get where you need to be on time. You do not want to show up late at your first class. Being prompt will show your instructors that you are ready to earn your degree and continue with your college career.

Being an online student gives you the flexibility to earn your degree according to your own schedule. You should create a schedule to get your classes done at certain times just as you would if you were attending on-campus. Getting your online classes done on time will ensure that you do not fall behind and have a load of work to get done all at once. Get on Blackboard before your classes start to get used to the location of assignments, discussion boards, and more on your profile.

3. Check Your Email/Syllabus/Blackboard for Updates

As a college student, you should get yourself into the habit of checking your email regularly. You never know when your instructor or peers may need to get hold of you for updates, assignments, changes, or anything else that can come up in one of your courses. Staying up to date with your classes by checking your email will ensure that you always know what is going on. Doing this before your first day of classes will confirm that everything is set and you know where you need to be and at what time.

Online students should also get themselves into the routine of checking Blackboard regularly for the same types of updates from their instructors and peers.

4. Have Your Supplies Ready

Getting all your supplies ready before the first day will keep you organized and ready for the next day. You should have pens, pencils, highlighters, notebooks, folders, books, your laptop, etc. all ready and packed.

Knowing you have everything you need all together ahead of time will save you running around to find things at the last minute when you instead need to take notes, attend class, or get your work done.

5. Learn About All the Resources Offered to You

As a college student it is important to know that you are never alone and there is always help and guidance just a step or click away. From laptop trouble to help in your classes, there is always someone who has the answer to help you stay on track. Knowing about all the services that your college offers to keep you successful is extremely beneficial to you in your college career.

While you are going through your educational journey, you may reach a point where you need some extra help on a specific topic or assignment. Your instructors are a great resource to get clarification or extra help from on anything that you may be working on, and you can also access a tutoring service called SmartThinking that is available to Bryant & Stratton College students. SmartThinking is a free resource available 24/7 where you can schedule 1:1 appointments with a tutor. You can drop in and ask a question of one of the tutors, or you can submit papers and assignments reviewed by the writing center.

For online students, B&SC also offers tutoring sessions with some of our faculty members who are content experts.

At Bryant & Stratton College, we offer help and guidance throughout your entire journey at the college. When visiting our website, we offer a live chat that can connect you with whomever you may need to get the help that you need. You will also always have access to your admissions coordinator and a success coach who will always be there to guide you in the right direction. This guidance doesn’t end once you earn your degree at Bryant & Stratton College either.

Our career services team is always a phone call away when you are ready to start your job search, even after you graduate. The team proudly offers personalized career plans, internship opportunities, resume development, interview prep, job search advising, and more.

Having knowledge of these services will ensure that you are getting the most out of your time at the college. Making use of all these services can help you be as successful as possible.

6. Start Taking Notes Immediately

As soon as you start your college journey with admissions, you should start taking notes on all the information that is given to you. Being a college student comes with a lot of responsibility, and without taking notes you will never remember everything that you need to get done or that you are told. Having a notebook to keep all your important college information in will help you keep track of everything that is or could be useful to you.

Before your first day you will be able to review all your notes that you have taken since the beginning of the process to make sure that you did not miss anything and that you are all ready for the day.

7. Get a Good Night of Sleep

Getting a good night of sleep is always crucial to being awake and motivated when you have something to do. You don’t want to show up to your first class tired and distracted because of a lack of sleep. Give yourself a set time to go to bed so you are alert and ready to take on your college classes.

At Bryant & Stratton College, we always want our students to feel confident and ready for their first day. Never hesitate to reach out to our team if you have any questions before the big day! Learn more about the different degree programs we offer here!