College Student Success
Based on advice of 35
Orientation Leaders 2008
Respectful Classroom Behavior
• Be on time
• No cell phones. For any reason.
• Participate in class – answer questions and ask
questions
• Ask RELEVANT questions
• Don’t be the student who asks a question every
minute – let other people talk
• No rude, disrespectful behavior
• Bring books, notebooks, pen, and pencil to class
• Read and prepare for class
Disrespectful Behaviors
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Texting
Talking (side-bar conversations)
Clicking the pen
Falling asleep in general (specifically in the first row!)
Arriving when there’s 15 minutes left
Arriving late and then asking questions that were
already covered when you weren’t there
Talking over the teacher – RAISE YOUR HAND!
Answering your phone when in class
Frequent trips to the bathroom and/or out of the room
Eating in class, especially loud foods
Opening snacks during class
Being Successful
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Keep your syllabus the ENTIRE semester
Make a friend in class
Sit in the “T” zone (first two rows, desks in center of room)
Get to know your professors
Go to professors’ office hours
Bring your planner and manage your time (write key dates
in your calendar)
Dress up the first day (no pajamas, no hats, take off your
sunglasses)
Be cautious about what you say (you don’t know others’
experiences)
Be open-minded
Arrive early for a test
Talk to the Professor
• Take notes or print out the notes ahead of
time (if you’re using your laptop to take notes,
ask the professor ahead of time)
• If you’re using a recording device, ask the
professor first
• Tell professors about your disabilities AHEAD
OF TIME
• If you must leave early, tell professor before
class
What I Wish I Had Known
• You may be in a lecture hall – expect many students
• Get familiar with the syllabus
• Know where you are going ahead of time (find the actual
classrooms)
• Different professors have different teaching styles
• Know your own academic strengths and weaknesses
• Read the books!
• If you’re not a morning person, avoid morning classes
• Use the add/drop week if necessary
• Know where your advisor is
• Know where the Library / Information Commons is
• Diversify your class load
• You can take a class pass/fail starting in the second
semester
HOMEWORK
• Take the ANGEL demo course:
https://angel.buffalostate.edu/frames.aspx
• On the left side of the page, under Public
Information, click Student Demo Course
• Click the Lessons tab to begin
– Note: Regular ANGEL access to a class requires
your username and password, but the demo
course does not
Some Truths About College
• Unlike high school, nobody will be monitoring your
studying and preparation
• Teachers and parents won’t be looking over your
shoulder and reminding you about your homework
• There is much less structure
• There is much more freedom, but also more
temptation
• You must be self-disciplined
• Different professors are VERY different and have
different expectations. An important skill of the
college student is to figure out what your professor is
expecting from you.