No study pressure, no exams, no restraint of attendance, no single assignments! Syllabus Week is one of the enjoyable and unmissable phases of college days for obvious reasons. The initial week of the college semester is the transition phase where your professors let you be and grant you some time to fit into the college environment. Also known as ‘the first week of classes’, these precious days of semi-liberty can either make or break the rest of your college days.

Syllabus week is largely deemed insignificant by the majority as it’s when the study pressure is almost non-existent. Thus, the students neglect this phase and end up procrastinating. And, meanwhile, the course promptly progresses without any delay or an interval.

Regardless of how tempting it might seem to skip the classes or, procrastinate during the syllabus week, do not give in to it. Rather get some help regarding what to do during syllabus week, because syllabus week is the beginning of a hectic new semester, so you better get ready from the start!

#1. Read the syllabus carefully.

Yes. you read it correctly! Now, this may sound strange but you are not in high school anymore. You get the semester syllabus before your classes start. And even if you haven’t got them yet, ensure to get those. Unlike in school, your professors will not remind you about your upcoming exams and important dates. So, as an undergraduate adult, it’s your responsibility to know everything beforehand by yourself.

#2. Attend the classes.

It’s 9 am, the classes are empty, and the weather is pleasant! Meanwhile, your every muscle aches at the very thought of an early morning lecture. But no matter how strong the urge gets to skip the class and laze around, don’t. The classes during syllabus week are as important as the regular classes that will take place shortly. So, go to class during syllabus week. During this time, the attendance might not be of a major issue, however, your professors will take note of it and will develop an opinion about you. Be regular from the start. Because the first impression matters.

#3. Meet and get to know your teacher.

No professor wants to get besieged in their office by a crowd of desperate students, seeking for help, only a week before the exam. Syllabus week is the ideal time to meet with your professors. Even if you understand your subject matter or not, ensure to form a good bond with them. Getting to know your professor will not only build a good rapport amongst yourselves but it will create a positive impression of you being honest, serious, and it translates your willingness to put an extra effort to do well in your subject.

#4. Mark your exam dates and important events on your calendar.

It’s a good thing to know everything in advance as doing so helps you stay organized. Find out the important dates for the test, term exams, assignment dates, and anything relevant. Mark them in your calendar so that you can get the ideal time to schedule everything. This helps you stay informed about all the major things and even make basic changes in advance.

#5. Stay organized.

Being organized is an essential factor for accomplishing your goals. It may sound tricky but it’s better to put it into practice from the syllabus week. Ensure to have a planner where you can write down everything important. Set reminders on your phone so that you never miss anything about your subject and other important things. Also, make sure to keep your room clean so that you do not waste your time looking for particular stuff in your place.

#6. Make new friends.

You are lucky if you and your old friend are taking the same course in college. But, if it’s otherwise, you will slightly get ‘self-conscious’ while walking into a new class crowded with a sea of unfamiliar faces. But, don’t fret! you are not alone. Even your classmates are just as you are and any of them could be just as anxious or nervous as you are. So, don’t be afraid to initiate a conversation with someone you’ve never known before. You never know that some of them might end up becoming good friends for a lifetime.

#7. Make sure you are in the right class.

Or, that can have several interpretations like ‘get familiarized with your college building’, ‘get your class timetable accurately’, ‘locate your departmental block’, ‘grow-up smarter you are not a kid anymore’, and so on alike. Nothing is awkward than to realize that you have wasted your precious 60 minutes trying to comprehend the subject matter, syllabus, and struggled to befriend the strangers in the wrong class. So, during the syllabus week, make sure where you are going so that you don’t get into embarrassing & stressful situations at the very beginning of a new semester.

#8. Get the textbooks required for your term.

Now, you’re in college and there is always a bigger list of textbooks you’ll need for a subject. While reading the syllabus, you will find out which books you need to study from one page till the last one and the ones you need only a page out of the whole. Make sure you purchase the books that are important to do well in the subject. You may skip the unimportant or halfsies if you want to!

Also Read: How To Prepare For New Semester.