At Georgetown, there can be a lot to balance alongside your classes, such as clubs, friends and making time to rest. But the reason we’re all here, first and foremost, is to learn! So, here is some advice for surviving your first week of classes:

The first step to acing your classes is knowing where they are. This can be a surprisingly difficult task, especially if you happen to have any in the Intercultural Center (ICC) basement. Start by checking the locations of your courses on GU Experience and then, if you have the time, explore campus to find them before the first day. Ask a friend to walk your schedule with you!

The best advice I can give, for this week and beyond, is to show up to your classes early and don’t be afraid to stay late. Being early has obvious benefits: You can claim your seat for the whole semester, you’ll have a moment to meet some classmates (and maybe future friends) and you won’t end up locked out of the first “Maps of the Modern World” lecture. I happened to sit next to a now-good friend on the very first day of “Principles of Macroeconomics” because I got there early enough to get a seat at the front of the ICC Auditorium. We’ve sat together in every economics class ever since. Staying late, though, seems counterintuitive. But more often than not, spending a few minutes to thank your professor, ask a question about a lecture or chat with a friend from class is more than worthwhile. The first few weeks of college pass by all too fast, so remember to take a moment to slow down. 

While you can, take full advantage of the add/drop period. During add/drop, which ends Sept. 4, you can register for and drop out of classes without any penalty. I’ve changed my schedule during every add/drop period so far and never regretted it once. If there’s a class you’re interested in but not sure about, send the professor an email to ask if you can sit in — in my experience, they’re almost always happy to have you. If you like it, you can add it to your schedule. Or, if you registered for an 8 a.m. class convinced you were a morning person, you still have time to get out of it. There are so many incredible classes at Georgetown, more than you could ever take, so it’s often worth a few schedule changes to make the most of your semester. 

When you do finalize your schedule, be sure to read through all your syllabi, where you’ll find all the information you need to know about your professor’s expectations, assignments and exams. It’s a good idea to keep track of important dates in your Google Calendar (affectionately known as “GCal”) or another organizational system. But if you ever feel like you’re falling behind, there are tons of resources to help out. 

And as a final reminder, go to office hours, now and every week. This is advice you’ll likely hear often and for good reason. Georgetown professors are usually wonderfully wise, knowledgeable and interested in their students, but, unlike in high school, you have to seek them out. Ask them about the class you’re taking or, better yet, about their interests or for their advice. Get to know them outside of lecture. Everyone should leave their first year with an adult on campus who knows them well and going to office hours is an essential part of that. 

Good luck this week! Above all else, the most important advice I can give is to ask for help often — from your dean, your professors and even your peers. This transition is a momentous one, but it will also be incredibly meaningful and exciting. In no time, you’ll be giving your own advice to the next incoming class of Hoyas.