The long, beautiful days of summer have come to an end and it’s time to begin a new semester with a fresh mindset.

Whether you’re a freshman or a returning student it’s important to put your best foot forward in the new school year. 

Here are a few tips to help you achieve academic success this semester:

Set academic expectations and come up with a study plan. While transitioning from summer to fall it can be challenging to adjust to the new schedule and meet the demands of a new semester. It’s especially stressful if you have additional work and family obligations. This tip will help you ease into the semester. 

The key to this is to remember that there are no small or big goals. Every goal, whether it is earning a certain GPA, making the president’s list or forming strategies to thrive in that dreaded math class, counts. The most important part is to set goals that are outside your comfort zone. This will enable you grow and develop new skills. 

Among all the things high-achieving students advocate, the significance of time management is one that comes up frequently. 

Tram Phan, a junior marketing major who maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA, believes the key to success is to manage your schedule. 

“Unlike high school, where there were certain subjects that I could catch up by the middle of the semester, college has given me deadlines and frequent exams that require much more planning,” Phan said. 

Later in the semester as schoolwork starts piling up it will be critical to deliberately plan your week while keeping track of important projects and deadlines. Phan’s go-to method is to put all her deadlines in a planner or a calendar. 

There are several systems and apps out there like Excel that help students stay on top of their assignments. 

Placing reminders on your phone and laptop or even using a sticky note to remind you of your responsibilities will keep you on your toes. 

Other equally crucial strategies are to take notes in class and review them well in advance. 

Asking questions in class or meeting up with a professor can seem intimidating but most professors are more than happy to provide clarification and help students meet their academic goals. 

When in doubt, don’t hesitate. Just ask.