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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Iron Sheep" data-source="post: 1447789" data-attributes="member: 4965">As a Math Prof, I'd agree with a lot of what people said above.  And I'll add in a few more:Don't pull all-night cram sessions before exams, particularly exams where you need to think (like math).  When you're dead tired you make lots of mistakes; when you're well rested you may be able to work out an answer even if you've forgotten the method.If you need help, ask someone, whether a friend, a tutor, a classmate, or the prof.  And ask sooner rather than later.Take notes in class, even if you have a really good text: it keeps you focused on what the prof is saying, it gives you a second reference source, and a good prof will probably give a different take on the material than the text anyway.In math, science, engineering, and other "problem-based" courses, do lots of problems and examples.  The way you learn calculus, for example, is by doing it.  This probably applies to a lot more subjects, too.You're an adult now.  Act like one (not that I'm saying you don't already, but many students don't).  That means (amongst other things) taking responsibility for your own education.Don't cheat or plagiarize.  It's usually transparently obvious if you do, and the consequences are severe.If you have a *#&$!@ mobile phone, turn it off when in class!  In general, be courteous and considerate towards your fellow students.The best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else.University should take the same amount of your time as a full-time job: about 40 hours/week.  Obviously some weeks will be busier than others, but this is a good benchmark for how much time you should be putting in.Make sure you do stuff other than classes and study.LA is big and scary, but you get used to it, and eventually will probably like it (I did my PhD at UCLA).  You'll probably need to get a car if you don't live in a dorm.  If you don't live in a dorm, then live fairly close to campus: Pasadena is nice and commuting in LA truly sucks.The LA Philharmonic has insanely good student season tickets, and if you turn up just before an opera performance, you can get really good seats for $10-$15 as a student (at least you could 10 years ago: it might be more expensive now).  Get a bunch of friends together and just go: if you don't like it, it's cheap enough that you can eat the cost; if you do like it, well you've got a new thing to do.There's probably lots more advice I could give, but I can't think of anything in particular.Corran</blockquote>

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