What to Bring to Your First College Class

By Timothy Hayes on August 4, 2015

The first and perhaps most intimidating experience of freshman year is without a doubt your first class. The simple magnitude of the experience you are going to be embarking on in the space of one semester might make you cower.

First classes have long been a time for trepidation, but at this time especially when you are embarking on your college career in a new subject in a new city you may be especially worried. Fear not.

If you’re worried about your first class, then keep reading. This list will let you know exactly what to bring to your first class.

1. Notebooks. Your notebooks should be your lifeblood in college. You’ve taken notes before, but college courses are frequently structured differently from high school. No more will you be handed note materials before lecture.

Some courses that incorporate lecture and recitation together may seem familiar, but overall you’re largely responsible for your own notes. Have multiple notebooks ready. One for each course should be sufficient, unless you expect to take more notes than it will hold.

Clearly label each notebook. It might be helpful to color code them to make it simpler to grab one out of your crowded backpack before class.

Image by Luis Llerena via Unsplash

2. Lots of pens. Again, you’re going to be scribbling furiously in class, so bring plenty of pens or pencils. You don’t want to find yourself running out of ink midway through lecture and find that no one around you can spare a pen. Bring lots of them and like your notebooks, you can color coordinate them for your notes.

3. Course syllabus, read and annotated. Here’s a secret no one seemed to want to share with me my first year. Your first day of every class is going to be syllabus day. Syllabus day is the day where your instructor will go over the course syllabus in fine detail for all the students.

The syllabus in college is more than what is on the agenda that semester for the course. It has rules for behavior in class, expectations, grading policies, credentials for the instructor, contact information, and lots and lots of important information for the rest of the semester.

It will also have the dates and times of the exams specifically laid out so that you can plan ahead and not miss any exams. The missed or skipped exam policy is also found in the syllabus. Not only is all of this required for the teacher to give you, many universities require syllabus day. You should come with the syllabus read and with your notes on it. If you don’t understand anything about the syllabus, now is the time to ask. Mark any additional information the instructor gives on your syllabus as class progresses.

(image courtesy of www.mugstoria.com)

4. Coffee. If you’re a coffee drinker like this author, your first class of the school year is not the time to start weening yourself off of this caffeinated wonder. Your brain will thank you immensely. Coffee increases concentration, decreases fatigue, and increases memory. So bring a good cup o’ joe.

5. Breakfast. You may not necessarily have to bring this with you, but breakfast is an absolute must. Many students do not eat breakfast. You’re busy most of the time and sleep is precious, so getting to sleep in a bit more rather than getting up and getting or making breakfast is frequently seen as more important.

In a 2006 study at Saint Martin’s University, researchers found that students who eat breakfast have better memory recall than those who do not have breakfast. The study opened up a new window for students. Even grabbing something on the go is better for one than skipping out on breakfast.

6. Your calendar. However you plan out your month or week, you’re going to need a calendar of some sort on your first day of class. You’re going to receive some very important dates on your first day of class. They will probably include the exam dates.

As mentioned above, the first day of class is going to probably be syllabus day. As your professor outlines those dates, mark them down in your planner, phone, or laptop. If the professor also mentions any review dates or deadlines, get those marked down too. These are going to come back to haunt you if you don’t have them marked down.

Image via Pixabay

7. Class schedule. Your first day should not be spent wandering around campus desperately trying to remember what class is next. Have your schedule available to you all day. Your counselor should be able to help you out by printing it off if you ask them. If not, an internet connection can get you your schedule in a pinch. Don’t rely on this though, because we all know the only time Wi-Fi doesn’t work is when we need it most.

As a pro tip, make sure you actually visit your classrooms a day or two in advance of your classes to make sure you know where they actually are and what they look like.

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