Rambo's Reclassified College Survival Guide.

When I first started school, I had a full time job and family to take care of, so I couldn’t attend the New Student Orientation. Here are some tips and advice that will help you to survive the college experience at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.

#1 Be yourself! Being shy at the start is okay, but be willing to progressively become an active student in class. Being yourself is one of the easiest ways to make lifelong friends.

#2 Make Friends. Friends can make or break your college experience. You don’t need a thousand friends, but you do need a good circle of people. Try to befriend students in your classes who have the same major. These friends will be a big help in studying and homework help.

#3 Ask questions! If you have a question, ask it. Odds are someone else in your class is thinking the same question. Some professors tend to get angry if you ask too many questions, but just remember you paid for the class and you have the right to ask the questions.

#4 Scholarships and Books. Tax Free weekend is before the fall semester starts. You may have to wait in line for books for a few hours, but saving 80-150 dollars is a smart idea. ALWAYS save your receipt till after the class begins and the professor says you need the book or not. Apply for as many scholarships as you are eligible. Scholarships help take off the weight of the financial burden in college.

#5 Get in School Activities. UAFS literally has something for everyone’s taste. We even have a bi-annual Humans vs. Zombies game where people run around with Nerf guns. There are clubs for almost every major and each language. Here is link to all of the activities UAFS has to offer: http://uafs.edu/life/student-organizations

#6 Don’t get discouraged. Accept failure. Be willing to accept that some people will not do the work they were assigned in a group activity for a class. (If that happens talk to your professor ASAP) Failure is an everyday thing we just have to learn to accept that it’ll happen and just improve the next time. Strive for greatness and ask for help if you need it.

#7 Be proud of yourself. You’re taking the first steps to better your life. The steps may take a while to progress through and times may get tough, but you’re still working to make your future the best it can be. Don’t go to college to joke around and hope you pass. Don’t go to college to impress mom and dad. Go to college to show yourself that you’re more intelligent than you ever knew.