You may be juiced, pumped, or hyped for the first day of school, but what you also need to be is prepared! That’s right…you need to bring your A-game!
Here are suggestions on how to get ready for the first day of college:
Know that you belong here. Sacramento City College is YOUR campus! No matter what you thought in the past or heard others say, you made an important decision to attend college and that takes courage. Realize that you belong here just like everyone else and that you deserve a college education. With that said, help keep the college campus a safe, clean, enjoyable, and positive environment for yourself and your peers. Take pride in being a PANTHER!
Bring an updated copy of your class schedule. Things may have changed on your schedule since you first signed up…your Pre-Algebra class that was supposed to meet in Rodda South has now moved way across campus to the Lusk Aeronautical Center. And the Word Processing class that you thought was during the 1st 8-weeks is really during the 2nd 8-weeks. Save yourself some time and frustration by having your schedule ready.
Seek and ask for help! SCC is a large campus and lots of students get turned around backwards! If you need help finding a classroom, figuring out where to pay for parking, or just want to know where the nearest bathroom is, then look for signs around campus that say “SOS.” “SOS” stands for “Students Obtaining Success” and, during the first week of the semester, you will find gazebos and tables near Hughes Stadium, inside the cafeteria, and all along the quad and walkways. Standing under these signs will be friendly faculty, staff, and administrators who can help you get to where you need to go.
Pick up a campus map and know your way around. Do you know where LIH and MOH are located? With a tight schedule, there may be times when you have to get from one building to another in less than 10 minutes. You will need the 10 minutes to get to class, to settle into your seat, and to pull out your classroom materials. And, forget about it, you will not have enough time before class begins for a coffee run to the cafeteria!
Arrive to class on time. With classes being reduced due to budget cuts, many students will be scrambling to find open classes or will try to add classes from their wait lists. Don’t be surprised if you find a classroom full of students, some standing along the edge of the wall, and some sitting on the floor. Classes will be packed. If you are officially enrolled in a class and want to find a seat, arrive to class one time….or arrive a few minutes early.
Bring your Student Access Card. Your Student Access Card is your official college photo ID card. It verifies that you are indeed a student at Sacramento City College…and proud of it! There are some departments on campus where you will need to show your Student Access Card, especially in Financial Aid and Admissions and Records. We want to make sure that we are helping the right person and providing accurate information. To get your Student Access Card and for more information, log onto the link below:
http://www.losrios.edu/lrc/lrc_sacard.php
Know your SCC ID number. We know that you are not a number; you are a student and we value you. In case you forget your Student Access Card at home, memorize your 7 digit ID number because you will need it. Your ID number will allow you to access your information for financial aid and eServices.
Bring your books, pens, notepads, binders, etc… Yes – on the first day of class, you will begin to take notes, listen to lectures, and LEARN new information! The 16 weeks of the semester will go by quickly and we don’t want to waste any time!
Be prepared to speak. So, I am not talking about a speech (unless you are in a speech class), but many instructors like to meet their new students. After all, you will be together for a full 16 weeks! Many instructors like to do introductions where everyone has a chance to share something about themselves, such as their educational and career goals. Listen to your classmates because they may have interesting stories that you can relate to. Then you start to realize that you are not in this journey alone!
Take a deep breath! Yes – you may end up in the wrong building, drive around for an hour looking for an empty parking spot, realize that your pen ran out of ink, and forget to pack a lunch for your busy day. But, take a deep breath and realize that tomorrow is another day…………and things will get easier!
