| 1. Go to Class and Participate
This sounds so obvious doesn’t it, but it can be so tempting to skip classes particularly early morning classes. Please avoid the temptation. No one will police you to make sure that you attend. In some classes, it may be part of the grade in others it won’t. Attending class forces you to stay on track and keeps you aware of changes in assignments and due dates. It also reduces the amount of homework that you will have to do. Your professors will be more willing to work with you if you attend class and participate. If I as a faculty member could pinpoint a single reason why some students fail, it is because they did not attend class and fell further and further behind as the semester progressed. If you have not done this already, this is a big campus. Take the time this weekend to locate each building and classroom that you will be in beginning on Monday. Many of our courses have blackboard sites. You can begin this weekend to look at those sites and download the syllabuses for courses you are taking. 2. Be Well Rounded
Don’t feel pressured to make a hasty decision about a career or major. World Futurists tell us that more than half of you may eventually work in careers that don’t exist today. They also predict that with the population of developed countries in Europe declining, many of you may eventually be recruited to employment in other countries. To prepare yourself for these future changes, take courses that will be of genuine use to the mind and challenge yourself. History, economics, science, geography, math, foreign languages and English literature are very important. Learn about the new field of nanotechnology. How many of you would have chosen to read Nickel and Dimed if it had not been assigned as part of your freshman reading? When you do read books like this – do you not find that it broadens your perspective about life. It also emphasizes a need for education to avoid becoming a member of the working poor. This is what education is all about.
3. Find a Place to Study and Do your Assignments
Many of you may find that you have problems studying in dorm rooms, your apartment or maybe even your family home. You need to find a place that is yours --- free from as many distractions as possible so you can focus and really get your work done. Do your assignments, seek help early if you need it and don’t procrastinate. Keep track of exactly when your work is due. You will find that your College Professors will be much less sympathetic than high school teachers about your excuses unless you have already proven yourself to be an excellent student. 4. Remember Teachers are People Too
Take time to get to know your teachers. We are here for you and this is especially true here at FAU. We want you to succeed. We all keep office hours. It is posted on our doors and on the course syllabus. This is time for you to seek help. If you have classes during office hours, let us know and we can schedule a different time. When e-mailing your professors do it from your FAU e-mail account (we don’t want messages from susierocks@hotmail.com – they also have a higher likelihood of going into our junk mail) and be sure to use complete sentences indicating your full name and what class you are enrolled in. Nothing impresses a teacher more than a student who has read the assignment and is prepared to talk about it. Nothing distresses a teacher more than a student who arrives in their office to complain about their grades or a student who waits to last few weeks of a semester to seek help if they are failing. Keep in mind that graduate schools and employers want letters of reference from teachers. Your professors will be much more likely to write you a great letter if you have taken the time to get to know them. 5. See out Advisement and Use Study Resources
Some of you may know today exactly what you want to do and what you plan to major in. Seek advisement early from those departments. Some of our programs such as nursing and architecture are limited access at the junior level. They require specific courses and excellent grades. Do your homework on this. The Career Services office is a great place to learn about careers that you may know nothing about. We have some excellent resources on campus that you should take the time this weekend to learn about. One of the most important skills that you need to learn while in college is how to write. if this is a struggle for you, use the writing center early and often. 6. Develop Healthy Habits and Watch your Appearance
Starting college can be very stressful. If you are far from home, you may feel very homesick. This is not unusual. It is a big transition. Being on your own requires a great deal of self discipline to get enough sleep, get up early, eat well, take care of your personal needs, work if you have a job and keep up academically. It is really important to develop healthy sleeping and eating habits, find time to exercise and maintain a neat and clean appearance. You will feel better and do academically if you do this. 7. Manage your Time Wisely and Seek Balance in your Life
College is different than high school. Your time is much less scheduled and so it is up to you to manage your time. You may feel very overwhelmed after your first week of classes when you learn about all the expectations. This is not unusual. Plan your time so you don’t procrastinate on the completion of assignments. Save time to be able to carefully review and spell check your work. This is not like high school. You are expected to turn the work in on time. We are preparing for your future where that will be expected at work. If you do need help in a course, seek out the tutoring resources in each department. If you are not sure where to go, the department secretaries can help you with this. It is also important to seek balance in your life. You need to plan time to relax and have fun. 8. Learn to Monitor your Own Behavior
Most of you are now over 18 and your behavior is viewed differently from both a legal and societal point of view. When you find yourself in a situation where you are about to engage in an activity or behavior that is personally risky or perhaps illegal, just stop for a minute and ask yourself whether it is really worth the risk you may take. A DUI, drug possession or a charge of indecent exposure may mean you would not be accepted to any professional school, become a teacher or a law enforcement officer. Frankly, the ramifications of even having a misdemeanor on your record today are far greater than they were 32 years ago when I graduated from college. You need to think it through and set your own behavioral standards. Ask yourself, would you want this on the front page of the Sun Sentinel or Palm Beach Post. Would you want your parents to hear about this or would you want to be asked about this when you run for political office 20 years from now. Be careful about what you put on your mySpace or Facebook pages. Many current employers are reviewing these sites prior to making job offers. We are learning that information on these sites is archived and there is an historical record. 9. Make Connections with Other Students and have Fun
At first, being in a new college can be very lonely. If you feel this way trust me you are not alone. Work hard to reach out to make friends in your dorms and your classes. You will feel more connected to FAU if join at least one group or organization and attend sporting events. Sure college life is about academics but it is also about meeting people and having a lot of fun. 10. Manage your Money Wisely
You may wonder why I have this tip in my top ten. Unfortunately, many college students at the end of college find themselves in significant debt. If you have never had to manage a budget, now is the time to start. Many companies will offer you credit cards at incredibly high interest rates that can easily pile up. If you do carelessly borrow money, before you know it you will graduate owing a great deal of money. This will make it harder to start your career. Avoid borrowing money; take the time to look for every scholarship and financial aid opportunity available. | 
