For a lot of college students, it is practically time to go back and take on a new semester. Then, there are college students like me who have already started the spring semester. I personally like the spring semester because it starts in January, so it is kind of like a "new year, new student" thing. It is ultimately an opportunity to start fresh and set new goals for yourself.

I have just completed my first week of the semester, which is commonly called "syllabi week." Usually, you attend your new classes, the professor hands out the syllabus, goes over it and then you are free to leave. Unfortunately for me, those days are over. For the majority of my classes, as soon as we finished going over the syllabus, my professor would start going over the first lesson. Oh, and of course, assigned homework readings were given on the first day of class as well!

You are lucky if you already have the books you need for the readings because you would have to endure the chaos of getting textbooks from the bookstore! That is typically why I prefer ordering my textbooks before the start of the semester to avoid the craziness of getting books during the first week of classes. Other students, however, like to wait and see if you even need the darn textbook for a certain class. My advice would be to just ask students who have previously taken the class you are in and see if they actually used the "required materials."

Besides those things, unpacking your entire wardrobe and new things you've bought over break, cleaning your dorm room and writing three-page papers during the first week of school, no worries! You will be fine, and the semester will fly by. Just remember to remain diligent, determined and dedicated. When you practice this, you are sure to have a successful, less-stressful semester. You can do it!