It’s finally here. A brand new semester lurks just around the corner. This is a semester of firsts for Cairn: the first semester with the brand new minors that were announced in the spring, the first semester of college for all the incoming freshmen and the first semester that I won’t be attending.

As a May 2016 graduate, I can say it’s kind of relieving. I don’t have to worry about getting my textbooks on time, I don’t have to fuss over whether my financial aid will come through and I don’t have to fret about my living arrangements on campus.

However, it’s a bit sobering to see all the posts from my Cairn friends that are already back on campus due to RA activities or athletic events. So as the new academic year rolls in, I want to reflect back on my time at Cairn and offer all of you Cairnites, both new and old, some free advice.

1. Get a planner.

I mean it. It will save your academic life. Instead of constantly referring to the syllabus throughout the entire semester, write down all of your homework assignments in your planner right off the bat. Then take it with you to classes to make any in-class adjustments to due dates (because let's face it, there's always that teacher who constantly changes the due dates for homework). This way, if your group project presentation changes, you won’t just scribble the new date on your class notes and forget about it.

Having a planner also helps you stay on top of regular assignments. And trust me, teachers are really impressed when you’re on top of your work. When you keep having to get extensions because you forget the assignments, they are definitely not impressed.

2. Put your phone away during class and keep it there.

I totally understand the temptation to goof off or check your Facebook during class. But just think about how much you’re paying the school for each class period. Are you seriously going to spend $60 to $70 a class just to fool around?

Besides, that Romans class might be a bit boring to you now, but when you’re graduated and having a deep conversation with a non-believer friend, you’ll really wish you could answer their questions a bit better. Which leads me to my next piece of advice:

3. Pay attention and take notes.

It’s scientifically proven that taking notes helps the retention of the material in your brain. Take those notes, bro. Fill up as many pages as possible with those notes. The world outside of the Cairn bubble is not going to care about the fact that you’re a born-again believer if you can’t explain why Communion is not cannibalism. Those who need to know Christ are going to want answers. While we may not have all of them, Cairn is teaching us how to find those answers and how to help others find them, too. So pay attention in your classes. It will seriously help you as you evangelize to others.

4. Go to the events.

If there is one thing I regret about my time at Cairn, it’s that I didn’t go to many events. Coffee with the president? Do it! Movie night on the quad? Go for it! These events will create many wonderful memories for you, and even create some new friendships!

So please, keep an eye on the events calendar on the Cairn homepage and mark your planners with the ones that are interesting to you. Your dorm boards, the boards in the main buildings and your RAs all have plenty of information about events every week. You’re only at Cairn for a short time (though some weeks it feels like forever), so take advantage of that.

5. Respect your teachers.

I shouldn’t even have to write this tidbit of advice, but in today’s self-absorbed culture, I have sadly seen teachers being disrespected, both to their faces and behind their backs. These teachers are real human beings who have taken time out of their own lives to pour into yours. Respect that. Some lectures may be boring and some homework may be obnoxious, but they’re very purposeful with what they give you.

Trust in the wisdom of your teachers and always give them respect. Believe me, if you’re nice to them, then they’ll definitely be nice to you. A little bit of Jesus’ love goes a long way. Besides; the tougher they are with grading, the more you’ll grow. You don’t learn anything from an easy A class.

6. Dedicate your chapel time to God.

OK, let’s be real for a minute. Chapel is three times a week, fourteen weeks a semester, for eight semesters (unless you're a music or social work major, in which case, God help you). That’s a lot of chapel attendance. After a while, it can get really repetitive or boring, and it’s so tempting to just sit there on your phone. I know I’ve been guilty of that.

What I found helps is to really consider chapel time as your time with God. Sing with your heart, listen with your soul. As the speaker is talking, take notes and interact with the "sermon" on a personal level: "Am I being selfish like this?" "Am I ignoring my own sins like that?" If you apply it directly to your life, it’ll change you. And chapel is meant to change you. It’s not meant to be a boring, mandatory "thing" that you have to sit through all the time. It’s there for your benefit. So get some benefit out of it!

As a graduate, I really miss Cairn already! I promise you all that I’ll be up to visit soon. In the meantime, try to follow my advice. I’m sure it will help you get the most out of your time at Cairn! Because, someday, you’ll be a graduate, too. But don’t worry. Once a Cairnite, #alwaysaCairnite.