• DO Waive Your Parking/Health Fee

If you don’t have a car, you most likely won’t need the parking permit. Don’t make the mistake I did and think that if you waive the parking fee in fall it’ll carry over to spring. You have to waive the fee each term. Same with the health fee, if you already have health insurance. Remember, waive them!

• DON’T Buy New Textbooks

Just don’t – especially not from the bookstore unless you have a book waiver that only covers purchases at Beck’s. Literally buy or rent them anywhere else: Amazon, Chegg, Bookrenter. Believe me, your wallet will thank you.

• DO Get Involved in a Club

It’s never too late to join The Independent. But seriously, joining a club or student organization can make the semester go by faster. Plus, you can make new friends. Don’t be a hermit.

• DON’T Set Unrealistic Goals

Technically, students can register for 18 credit hours, but that is six classes right there. I want to graduate as soon as possible too, but don’t spread yourself thin. Toast tastes better with a lot of jam.

• DO Look for Scholarships

There is still so much free money out there, just because it’s the middle of the year, doesn’t mean that scholarships well has run dry. Just use the Google machine. You will find it.

• DON’T Forget About the PE Complex

Students get to use the PE Complex. FOR FREE. No membership fee. Yes, you still have to pay if you want to take classes, but there’s a rock climbing wall and a high ropes course. Take advantage of it. If you’re like me, you still have that Christmas ham and pumpkin pie hanging around your muffin top. And you’re really like me, that muffin top is now a pound cake. I’ll wave at you as we run it off together on the indoor race track.

• DO Get to Know Your Professors and Make Sure They Know You

Professors get lonely too. Visit them during their office hours. Visit enough, and you’ll be able to “Ocean’s Eleven” your way into the gradebook. Just kidding. George Clooney’s too busy with the new Coen Brother’s movie. Seriously though, you’ll be glad you got to know them when you need help with an assignment, a letter of recommendation or a reference for a job or internship.

• DON’T Do This by Yourself

There are dozens of services available on campus to help you with whatever you may need. Tutoring? Got it. Career development? Check. Advising? Totally. Counseling? You bet. A resource center for diversity and intercultural affairs? Of course. Literally anything. Except for Taco Tuesdays. We don’t have that yet.