Winter Quarter | Start Of Classes
Congratulations to all the students who made it to the winter quarter at SSU and welcome all the new students who just joined SSU community. Countdown is over and today is the first day of classes. For some people the first day of classes may be a very giddy experience, for others it can be a time of apprehension. In my case it was both.
Going back to the memories of my first day of classes I must admit it was a pretty nerve-racking experience. At that day I had 2 classes and both of them were math-related which made me even more nervous. But all my anxiety was gone after the first 5 minutes as we got acquainted with each other and our teacher. The atmosphere was really friendly and supportive where everybody was trying to help each other and things proceeded in that way until the end of the quarter.
It goes without saying that most of the students will agree on the point that getting acquainted with new people is always exciting but being an international student in a foreign country makes it even more exciting. Surrounded by people from different countries you have to keep in mind the cultural differences that shape the way we act, speak and exchange the information with others, thus we all have to think about how to find a consensus while there may be too many opposing viewpoints on the same issue.
First day of classes is a good opportunity to get to know each other better and try to find like-minded people with whom you can cooperate in small teams in future while working on group projects.
Here are some of the key things you should know before taking your first course at SSU | Winter Quarter:
Arrive early.
You are brand new to campus and probably have no idea how to get around, so plan an extra 10-20 minutes for any aimless wandering that may occur before making it into the classroom.
Bring your laptop — if you can handle it.
While using your laptop in class is often frowned upon in high school, it isn’t so taboo at SSU — in fact, many professors encourage it. Using your laptop is a fast and simple way to take notes, keep up with PowerPoint slides and look up key information for discussion.
Keep up with the professor.
Especially in larger classes, professors will not have the time to stop mid-lecture or mid-discussion just to make sure you’re caught up. You may be used to a more relaxed environment where teachers are able to spend more time explaining concepts, but in University, they have their own plan for what to cover that day and will be sticking to it.
Start taking notes immediately.
The first day of any college class is filled with valuable information. Professors may explain what their teaching method is like, how to best contact them with questions or what opportunities they offer for extra credit. These pieces of information can be some of the most important factors in succeeding in a particular professor’s class
START WORK BEFORE IT’S DUE.
The homework you’ll get on your first day of college can be a world away from the high school assignments you’re used to. Start some of your assignments right away on the first day of college, so they’ll be sure to be done by the deadline.
SSU professors tend to assign bigger amounts of work over longer periods of time, so you’ll lack the daily deadlines many high school courses provide. This makes it seem like you have plenty of time, but don’t be fooled!
Author :
Patrik Puska
Student Ambassador/MBA student
