College is incredibly different from high school. There’s learning curves everywhere, whether that be academically or trying to find your classes. As someone who has been at Mt. SAC for 3 semesters, here are a few things that I wish I knew before starting.

Stay on top of Time Management

The first thing that comes to mind, and that I still continuously struggle with to this day, is time management. Time management is important in most aspects of life, but that is even more important in the world of higher education. Learning to manage your time well will save you from a great deal of stress in the long run, and will make your semesters feel a lot smoother. From making time to read the textbook, to chunking out study time and planning when to complete assignments, is what it takes to to commit to each class equally. Sometimes you will need to add extra dedication for the more difficult classes

Time management isn’t only about academics. Make sure you have ample time to do things you enjoy as well. This balance will help ease the stress of school work. Forgetting to do so will only make things worse for you in the long run. The goal is to avoid burnout.

The nice thing about being an adult and in college is the freedom to create and manage your own schedule, including doing things you enjoy. Having fun and making time for what you like actually makes the college experience a lot more enjoyable, and saves your mental health a considerable amount. Just like you intentionally plan to do classwork, also make time each week for fun.

The college offers workshops that help students do this very thing. The Academic Support and Achievement Center hosts regular events teaching students time management, including specific workshops on how to avoid procrastination.

Don’t wait to get help
My first semester was pretty rough and would have been a lot better had I gotten academic help. I was struggling in Introduction to Biology, a class that I didn’t expect to struggle in, and instead of seeking assistance from my peers or attending office hours, I decided to tough it out.

This choice was possibly the worst choice I could’ve made, and I ended up dropping the class for the sake of my GPA. This leads me to my next tip: don’t wait until the last second to ask for help, especially if you’re failing.

Mt. SAC has an abundance of resources to help students with their classes. The campus offers tutoring in numerous subjects with some centers focusing on specific majors like the STEM Center and Speech & Sign Success Center. Additionally, your professors all hold office hours which are dedicated specifically to helping students.

While there are seemingly endless resources to help you succeed, you actually have to take the initiative to use them. Mt. SAC’s website has a dedicated page to tutoring across campus. If you need help, look for it. If I could go back to my first semester and tell myself something, I would be screaming at the top of my lungs, “Go to the STEM center now!”

Utilize counselors so you’re on track

When you register for your first semester, you’re prompted to select a major and to choose plans for transfer. This choice determines what classes you should take, for both your general education and your major. But knowing what to take and when you should isn’t so simple.

While you may have an idea of what classes you can take, finding the ones that are the best for you can be difficult, especially with how often the requirements change for each school. This is where counselors come into play.

Speaking to a counselor to make sure I was on the right track was something I didn’t consider until my second semester where an assignment directly correlated to making a counseling appointment with the professor, who was a counselor as well.

This assignment led me to making more and more appointments to confirm that I was on the right path, which saved me in the long run. While I was able to get on the right track with the help of my professor early, I genuinely believe that counselors are a resource that need to be utilized a lot more.

The primary function of counselors is to guide students to take the right classes and build a comprehensive education plan so they can achieve their college goals, whether that’s earning a certificate, graduating with a degree or transferring to a four-year school. While making an appointment can sometimes be hectic, especially around registration time, it is worth the hassle and in your best interest.

Take advantage of the Go Pass
Mt. SAC offers students the chance to sign up for the Go Pass, which is a program that allows students to use various public transportation for free. While public transportation to and from campus isn’t ideal for everyone, that isn’t the only use the Go Pass offers. I’ve used the Go Pass on many occasions, ranging from trips to the Metro to go get dinner in Little Tokyo with a few friends of mine, to heading to Hollywood to go see the Walk of Fame and get some new posters and memorabilia at Amoeba Records.

Not only is it a great way to get around, it saves your bank account. Trips that would normally cause you to spend on parking and gas become more of an adventure, while also saving you money, especially with the current state of gas prices.

Final thoughts
Education is an ever-changing environment, and with every new student comes a unique experience. My experience at Mt. SAC has had its ups and downs, with some of those downs being faults of my own doing. Everyone’s experience at Mt. SAC is different, and these tips and suggestions hopefully make the experience a good one.