The Observer, January 27, 2006
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 14
New semester, new approaches
I get it: it's two weeks into second semester and you are still trying to forget your current GPA and remember just what you accomplished over that month-long break. Take a break from all that and think about this semester for a second. I have a feeling it will be amazing. Yes, I know what you are thinking and no, I am not a psychic, but really, it will be amazing.
I see that far away look in your eyes: learning new material, having to take another SAGES class, meeting new professors, cramming, and passing even more exams. Snap out of it! You want to dwell on the amount of time you will be spending at the library, but I am not going to let you.
Think of it this way: you are in new classes – so start over. If you are already doing well, as the 2nd grade stickers read, "Great Job" and "Keep it up!" If you are not, these new professors do not know that. Now is the time to prove to them and – more importantly – to yourself that you can do the work. You wouldn't be at Case if you couldn't.
If you haven't realized it already, paying attention and studying ahead of time actually help. Go to SI sessions – they help. Trust me: I say this from experience. Get to know at least one professor. Yes, I understand some are hard to get in touch with and that some of you out there are shy, but, in the long run, you will thank yourself (and maybe even me). Law school, med school, and even jobs are closer than you think – maybe even as close as this summer. (Yes, summer, you know sun, swimming, hot bodies in swimsuits, wait – where was I? Oh yes, it is just a few more months away. We can make it!)
Stay focused or those summer days will be filled with class – the same class you didn't want to sit through the first time you had to take it. Just like finding the right spot on the sand helps you get the best tan, finding the right seat helps you pay attention. I know you already found your perfect seat, where those new professors can't catch what you are really doing on your laptop, but it might not be so perfect if you want to pass. My advice, sit in the "T-Zone." For those not in the know (which I have to admit was me until the week before finals), this is the area where the professor directs his/her attention. Obviously, it looks like the letter T, so the first few rows and the middle of the lecture hall or classroom are your best bets.
Now for those who don't want to be too studious, and who can blame you, at least pick a seat near a new face. This semester is a great chance to make some new friends. I'm not saying your old ones aren't good enough anymore (unlike the hundreds of dollars worth of textbooks you will never use again) because they are, but this is a great time to branch out. Network. Find someone who will accompany you to that Engineers Without Borders or Footlighters meeting that you always wanted to go to, but never had the courage to go to alone. They might even know of a good after-party, who knows!
You did arrange your schedule, so there has to be one class that you like. Just remember that one when you are sitting through all the others you can't stand but need to fulfill your core. Keep your mind open: you might even come to enjoy all of them. OK, maybe not all of them.
Your mission, if you chose to accept it, of course, is to go to class. Make yourself, because no one can do it for you; your parents don't live with you anymore. Go and smile. Maybe not a show-your-teeth-and-say-cheese smile, but a cute little one saying yes-I-am-single-and-looking-to-mingle-while-I-pay-attention-to-Physics-121.
Case is what you make of it, so you might as well pass with a good grade and meet some new people. You are here either way. By the way, if a class is really not what you want, change it (like right now) considering it is your last day to do so!
