Becca's Declassified School Survival Guide

Dear incoming Freshman,

Welcome to Springfield College! You probably are still very excited and energized from NSO, and that's a good thing! But now, classes are starting and you need to begin to focus your attention on doing well with your academics. The one thing I wish I knew before I came to college is that no matter what your major is or how involved you are on campus, your biggest challenge is going to be time management. You’ll have to be able to find time to hang out with friends, work, go to class, sleep, eat, do homework, study, go to practice, go to a club meeting, call your parents, etc. The list is never-ending. But this is what it is to be a college student. We make the impossible possible. We find ways to work our time so it works, and remember, you have to make it work for yourself, not anyone else. College can be rough. I can guarantee you that people are going to be negative and complain to you, but it’s not your responsibility to make sure they’re doing okay, your only responsibility is making sure you’re okay.

One class that every freshman has to take (unless they brought in college credit) is college writing. College writing 113 may seem like it’s going to be a breeze, but I’ll be honest and tell you it’s not. This course takes effort, time, and focus to get through it just like any other class. Writing a well written essay isn’t always easy, especially through the different assignments you will be given. They will most likely challenge you, and have you think in ways you haven’t before. Some ways you will have to write include free writing, analyzing a source, researching a topic, and a few more. As long as you stay on top of your assignments and work diligently to get everything done, you will be fine. If you slack and don’t do your work, I cannot guarantee you anything good. So in other words, do well, don’t fall behind, work hard, and you’ll be fine. Whoever your professor is, I can assure you that they want to see you succeed, not fail. Don’t be afraid to ask them for help. They’re there for you. Take a deep breath kid, this is where the fun begins. On that note, good luck freshman, I hope you all do well in your college careers!

Your soon to be friend,

Becca, '20