Words of Wisdom from Fellow Falcons Don't be afraid to put yourself out there! Introducing yourself to the people around you on the first day of classes can be a great way to have people to study with and oftentimes you develop life long friendships with those people. Never be afraid to ask for help! This goes for academic, social, and personal situations. Find a balance in your day! Take the time to close your laptop and books to eat a meal, talk to and hang out with a friend, and participate in fun engagement opportunities offered at Bentley. As you approach your weekends, make a plan about when you will do homework. Whether that is picking one entire day to dedicate to it or deciding you will work for a few hours each morning, it can be helpful to have a plan. Office hours are the best opportunity for you to get to know your professors outside the classroom and they are always excited to meet students even if it's just going in the first week to introduce yourself. It is also helpful to get to know the professors as they have amazing connections both on campus and the real world.
When signing up for clubs at the activity fair, you don't have to be a part of everything you initially sign up for! Pick what you want to stick with based on if the organization and stuff you're doing with it "fills your bucket"- things that make you happy and have fun with, maybe things that you don't get through academics. You will begin to learn more about what you're passionate about. One low grade on an exam or assignment will not determine the trajectory of the rest of that academic course and definitely not the rest of your academics at Bentley. Take it as a learning opportunity, talk to your professor, and move on from it. We all have off days, we all have things that we don't fully grasp before an exam, and it's not a failure unless you give up. Classes are supposed to challenge you! You got this and everyone here believes in you! Hard work put into GB112 will benefit you greatly in GB212. Well written 112 notes can be carried over for you to reference in 212 as a refresher of information after winter break. Go to the UAS Geek Squad review sessions for GB112! They provide an overview of what will be covered on everyone's exams and walk you through example exam questions.
Make sure to get enough rest and sleep! Going to bed 1 hour earlier when preparing for an exam can be just as beneficial, if not more beneficial for your preparedness to take the exam. All of your hours of studying won't do you any good if your brain is too tired to problem solve and recall information the next day! Switch up your study locations frequently if you're very having trouble focusing. There are so many different spaces on campus to worksome quiet and some with background noise. Take advantage of the number of tables, chairs, and booths all around campus to take out your laptop and work. Utilize all of the different academic support centers. Peer tutors there can walk you through any homework problem, help you prep for an exam, or go over material that was covered in your class. Try your best to do your textbook readings before the class date that covers that content. You will be somewhat familiar with the material rather than hearing it for the first time when trying to take notes.
Stay organized with all your assignments and make sure you keep track of big exams. Printing out your syllabi or having them all in one folder on your computer can help with this! College is about challenging yourself and stepping out of your comfort zone sometimes. At a place like Bentley all your hard work will pay off! Start on group projects early. You never know what’s going to come up later in the semester and sidetrack your plans. Communicate with your team and be invested in your team's success- this positive environment goes a long way. Keep a to-do list with you! Keep it in your phone, written in a planner, or typed up on your computer - whatever works best for you! If you need help in GB112, don't hesitate to reach out to your professor, a friend, or an upperclassmen like your RA. They want to see you understand the content and succeed!
Make sure you are ready to get started right away on the first week. Even though that first week is "syllabus week" and not all classes do a deep dive into content, some professors will jump into introduction lectures or will have a prereading assignment before the first class. Oftentimes it's reading the syllabus so read it over and ask questions the first class! Other times it might be the first chapter of the textbook. Use this week to plan out your semester once you get all of your syllabi and ask any questions you have when it comes to the bones of the class! If professors post PowerPoint slides before class, print them out and write directly on them during the lecture to focus on only having to hand write those bits of information that are said out loud but not included on the slide. It can free up some time and space to listen and process the information more. Find a friend to study for exams with. Quiz each other out loud, and utilize the whiteboards in study rooms to get all of the information out there.