A quick note to our future Aggies

By Emely Cruz, '22

I can imagine how excited and nervous you are to begin this new chapter of your life. There are many things I wish I knew before I started college last semester.

Take the initiative. When you arrive on campus, get involved in campus activities and socialize with those around you. This will make the campus start to feel like home.

Take a break from campus when needed, but do not make a habit of leaving every weekend. Explore the island. Some of my favorite places to visit are The Spot, Buckshot Saloon, Yaga's, and Mosquito Café.

You can never go wrong with a quick trip to the beach. Whether it is sitting on the bed of a truck reading a book or going for a swim, the beach is a fun and inexpensive way to enjoy your day.

When it comes to staying organized for classes, I recommend creating a list with all of your courses, your main due dates, and the weighted grading criteria. I, personally, feel like semesters go by extremely fast. Creating this list helps me avoid forgetting about upcoming exams and projects, and allows me to keep track of my grade in each class.

For your classes, keep your notes organized and complete. A good tip: create headings for your notes, this will help you greatly when studying for exams. Decide before classes begin if you prefer to take notes electronically or on paper and stick to that decision. Then, create a system to keep all of your notes in one place. You should also collaborate with others in your class and share notes someone may have written something that you missed and that could be the difference between getting an A or a B on your exams.

Most importantly, do not skip class. Unlike high school, most classes do not have an attendance check, so it is tempting to skip. However, it is important to not make this a habit. While you may feel some classes are easy, not attending can be the reason you get a B instead of an A. These past two semesters, I have learned it is important to put in the extra work for an A.

Lastly, do not procrastinate. You will be tempted to but DO NOT. As I said, semesters go by faster than you can imagine, and if you allow large assignments to pile up, you will struggle to do well and earn that A. The best plan is to begin working on your assignments as soon as you hear about them. You avoid stress and can put more effort into your work. I also find that this allows you to have more free time in the long run. Have Fun! Study Hard! Gig 'Em!