You asked:

My grades weren’t all that good last semester. How can I make sure I'll do better this time?

A major goal for your first semester is to adjust to college. So you've adjusted. The problem now is avoiding second-semester slump. You get used to relaxing at home, and then they throw the books right back at you. How rude.

It can be tough to get back into the swing of things. If you slipped last semester, well, just be glad it’s over and you get a chance to give it another go. It’s time to start over. To make improvements, it helps to know why your grades weren’t so grand.

Did you …

• Skip a lot of reading?
• Forget” to take notes?
• Blow off studying until the night before?

Bad study habits happen, but if they've been creeping into your life a little too much, this semester or trimester is an opportunity to buck up. Read assignments, participate in class, ask questions, heed professors' comments. Many professors are huge on class participation, so when the semester ends, if you’re on the fence between two grades, a healthy amount of participation might bump you up. Sometimes, school is like a game, and you have to know how to play. Pay attention to professors -- frequently, they tell you what parts of the class are most important, so you can focus on those when you are studying. Plan a study schedule and know when papers and tests are due. Now go rock this semester!

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