New to Madison College? These tips might help you as you try to navigate college for the first time.

• Having a tight-knit studying schedule that works around other activities such as work, sports, and clubs can help with organization and planning ahead. Most classes will provide a syllabus with due dates for every assignment. Plan out those due dates in a calendar or personal planner and work out when you will work on it ahead of time. Map out your studying times for tests ahead of time and prevent last minute cramming.
• Keeping in constant contact with teachers about grades, questions, or concerns will ensure you always know your status in a class. Blackboard may post grades, but it can be extremely buggy at times and teachers may wait a few weeks to post grades. Also, teachers will notice when a student really cares about their grade in a class and will keep it in mind when the end of the semester comes.
• Study groups help keep a steady focus on class topics throughout the semester. Some classes may offer a study session with the teacher, but often these groups need to be formed individually. Get to know the other students in your class and work out times to meet up. While working together, you may learn something from each other.
• The many clubs and organizations here at Madison College offer great ways to meet new people/instructors, build resumes, and keep focused on one’s studies. Looking for a group involved in your field of study? Ask a teacher or advisors how to get involved.
• The Student Achievement Center offers study rooms, tutoring opportunities, advising and counseling, and many other services to help Madison College students remain successful throughout the school year. Don’t stress over a research paper, bring it into the writing center and sit down with a tutor who will help you edit and work through it.
• Get a bus pass if you travel from the downtown area for classes or if you live around there. The bus pass is included in the commuter fee, which is $46 per semester for students; otherwise it’s $58 a month for non-students. Just show your OneCard in the Student Life office and receive your bus pass.
• Feeling stressed? Need some rest? Head over to the Reflection Room for tranquility. It’s located by the Student Life office in room C1420, a quiet, private space designed to acclimate student religious and spiritual requests, as well as provide a safe area for those suffering from PTSD, autism or other problems that compel some time alone to relax.