How to Prepare for the First Day of a New Semester in College

This time of year, thousands of college students are preparing to return to classes. If you're a college student or know someone who is, here are some tips to help you prepare for the new semester.

Get Books in Advance ~
I can guarantee you that the first few days of the new semester, the college bookstore is going to be swamped with lines of people waiting to get their books. Some of them have waited until the last moment because they procrastinate. Others have come from out of state, and this is their first opportunity to claim their books.

If you're a local, or if your campus bookstore offers a reservation service, ask to be on the list to have your books set aside for you to pick up before the semester begins. Some campuses will let you even collect your books several weeks before the semester begins. This will guarantee that you'll get all of your books before things begin to sell out, and also keep you from having to wait in those lines.

Written Schedule ~
In the weeks and months leading up to this day, you probably thought about your classes a hundred times, and you think you remember them, but when that first day comes, your mind is going to be so full of other things that you may very well forget the schedule you thought you memorized. Make a written copy of your schedule. Even just something on an index card that you can keep in your pocket will be a helpful reminder later when you can't remember where you're supposed to be when. Be sure to write the name of the course, the building and room number and the time, and the days of the week that your class is meeting.

Mark School Supplies ~
As long as you're getting books in advance, go ahead and get your school supplies as well. That way when you come to the first day of class, and your professor starts giving out all those important bits of information, you'll be able to start writing down your notes immediately. There are some supplies you may not anticipate before the first day, but others you can probably estimate. You're likely to need a notebook and a folder for each class, a selection of pens, and writing paper, for instance.

Consider Color Coding Supplies ~
One of the most embarrassing moments I had in college was showing up with the wrong folders from my class. To keep this from happening to you, you can color code the materials for each class. For instance, if you have a folder to hold your work in, and a spiral notebook to take your notes in, make them the same color for each class, for instance, a folder and a notebook in blue for your math class; a folder and a notebook in yellow for your science class. If you've seen your books in advance, you can even try to match the colors to the colors on your textbook. That way you'll know when it's time for science, you'll take the yellow folder, the yellow spiral notebook, and the yellow book.

Walk Through Your Classrooms ~
This is particularly important, if you're beginning this semester on a new campus. No matter how many times you've looked at the nice map they mailed you before this semester started, you're going to discover that it just doesn't look the same once you're on the ground trying to walk through it. To save yourself time, hassles, and embarrassment on the first day of class, try to walk through your entire schedule a day or so before. Just practice walking from one classroom to the next, until you're sure that you can find all of your buildings and all of your classrooms in the right order.

The first day of a new semester in college can be very stressful, but with these tips you can give yourself a head start on avoiding some of the most stressful moments.

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