Editors Note, Academia Section, Reach Vol. XVII

I remember the first final exam that I took here at UB. I remember learning ten minutes before it was about to begin that I was clearly sitting in the wrong room. Sprinting down The Spine, pulling all eyes towards me in the process--instant relief filled me as I at long last found a familiar face--who was able to tell me that I had gone in the completely wrong direction. Who would have known that the Undergraduate Library was also Capen Hall? Not a second too late, I arrived at my test, weaving my way through row after row towards the nearest empty seat among 400 or so of my classmates. The actual exam seemed somewhat anticlimatic at that point. I simply wrote down everything that I knew and hoped that would be enough.

Three years later, I find myself in an entirely different situation. Finding the examination room is now easy enough, but filling up a Blue Book is a lot more challenging when it seems that you have forgotten far more than you know. But somehow, in the process of all of that, it will become clear to you that you've come out ahead in the game. With every test that comes your way, you grow stronger--not only in the associated bits of knowledge that you pick up, but in the means you possess to deal with them.

On with the quick advice:

Don't screw up early.

Keep all of your doors open. That means don't screw up your GPA and take a variety of introductory level classes. You might not plan on going to Med School, but don't preven future possibilities by making bad choices now.

Pull the all-nighters, never wimp out.

Check out random books from the library, read them, return them on time.

Remember, you're not just competing against the slob sitting next to you in class but against students all over the world.

Papers don't write themselves.

Go with your friends to their classes every now and again. Not only will you learn something new about a different academic field, you'll learn more about your friends and will truly be able to appreciate what they are going through.

Attend professor's office hours. It isn't brown nosing to get to know them--after all--these people should be your heroes, they've already gone through all of this and are experts on subjects you allegedly dream about!

Don't ask stupid questions. Especially in email. But question everything.

And be happy.