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The beginning of a new academic semester is a time when students can start fresh and reset. No matter where your student is in their academic journey, here are some tips to help them start the semester strong.Ìý

Explore campus and Boulder

Even if your student has been at CU Boulder for a while, encourage them to get familiar with their surroundings during the first few weeks of the semester. They may have a class in a part of campus where they haven’t spent much time.Ìý

On campus, they can try aÌývariety of dining locations, find different routes to their classes or pick a favorite study spot. If your student lives off campus, encourage them to meet their neighbors and explore their neighborhood. They can also try restaurants and find study spots at businesses on The Hill or Pearl Street.Ìý

Get involved

The spring semester is a great time to find new ways to be active on campus. Sometimes, trying to get more involved during the busyness of fall can feel overwhelming. During spring, students have often found their groove and can check out more opportunities to connect to campus life.ÌýÌý

°Õ³ó±ðÌýInvolvement Fair on Jan. 24Ìýallows students to meet with student organizations and learn ways to get involved. If your student is already a part of a student organization, encourage them to take on a leadership role this year to learn new skills. They could also join a leadership program, likeÌýCU GOLDÌýor theÌýJourney Leader Program.ÌýÌý

If your student is considering applying for internships this year, encourage them to startÌýwith Career Services. They can attendÌýweekly workshops and programsÌýdesigned to help students in their search and prepare for upcoming career fairs.ÌýÌý

Go to office hours

Faculty members often offer office hours where students can meet with them outside of the classroom. Office hours allow your student to meet one-on-one with their professor to ask questions, gain a better understanding of class material or express concerns.ÌýÌý

Encourage your student to go to their faculty office hours during the first few weeks of the semester to introduce themselves. Getting to know professors early in the semester can make it easier to ask for help later if needed. Regularly attending office hours and establishing a rapport with faculty can offer additional opportunities, like research projects or internships.Ìý

Get organized

The spring semester is just starting, but midterms can come up quickly. Encourage your student to use a calendar or planner and take time to get organized.Ìý

First, they can add important dates from their syllabuses to their calendar or planner, including exam dates, project or paper deadlines, presentations, etc. Next, they can schedule consistent blocks of time to study or review class material each week. Finally, they can take note of big papers, projects or tests coming up and break them into smaller tasks to work on throughout the semester. This helps to make progress on assignments that aren’t due for a while and avoid procrastinating until the last minute.Ìý

Use resources

As the semester progresses, encourage your student to ask for help if they feel stuck on a problem, project or concept discussed in class. Â鶹ÒùÔº can use many freeÌýacademic resourcesÌýat any point in the semester, including theÌýWriting CenterÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýUniversity Libraries.Ìý

Your student has many opportunities to succeed and build a positive experience at CU Boulder in academics and campus life.ÌýÌý

They can check out more ways to get involved from theÌýDivision of Student Affairs. Stay connected to campus events by downloading theÌýCU Boulder Life appÌýor following @CUBoulderLife on,Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌý.