Scheduling Classes
1. Choose a realistic schedule. Don't be a hero. Don't schedule early classes because it's the 'responsible' thing to do. If you know you're not a morning person or you know you'll have a lot of late nights, schedule your classes for a little later in the day. The goal is to attend class as often as possible. This isn't going to happen if you won't be awake in time to go.
2. Cluster your class, but leave a space for lunch. Waiting an hour between each class sucks- especially if you live off campus. Try to schedule your classes as close together as realistically possible (about fifteen minutes between each class, if that's enough to get you from class A to class B), so you don't spend most of your day waiting for the next class to start. But don't forget to leave at least one big space open so you can grab a meal.
3. The ideal schedule is T/W/Th. If not, the second best is T/W/Th/F. If not, the next choice is M/T/W/Th. I know, having a free Friday can be tempting, but it's definitely better to have MONDAYS off. Mondays off are great for traveling and partying. When traveling, you have an extra day to setting back into onto campus and also a grace period in case travel plans home turn sound. If you're planning on partying or working hard during the weekend, having the Monday to recuperate can be godsend. Also, Mondays can be a great time to catch up or finish any assignments you may have neglected over the weekend. (For your parties, remember that any party/clubbing is going to happen on Friday nights, so there's no reason to fritter away your days at home. Also, most parties and busy club nights are on Saturdays anyway.)
4. Take more classes with your favorite professors. Sometimes you're lucky enough to find a really great professor. If you are, take a look at the classes they teach and see if there's anything else you can take with them in the semesters to follow.
5. Pick some classes 'for fun.' There's a lot of classes you MUST take to fill your major requirements. When you get a chance to take a 'free' class - a class that's not specifically required for your major but just to give you some extra credits (your extracurricular courses), try to pick something you think you'll enjoy and have fun with - this can be something interesting that's outside your major or something that cultivates a hobby you enjoy or even a class that allows you to spend some extra time with friends.
6. Get those course you hate out of the way. Don't put it off. Likely, there's a few classes you'll need credit for that you're dreading taking. Don't put it off until your final year. You'll regret it. Remember that this is a class you MUST take, so just grit your teeth and get it out of the way as soon as possible. (For me, this was my Public Speaking and Science reqs. I ended up taking both during freshman year. I hated both classes but was so relieved to have it out of the way at the end of the year.)
7. Before signing up for your second semester classes, talk to other students about their professors. Use your classmates' experience with courses and professors to help determine which courses and with which professors you're willing to work with next semester. Some insight on how those courses and professors work will save you a lot of heartache and aggravation later. (Also if your friends are done with those courses, they probably won't need those books next year, and who's there to take if off their hands? You!).
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Some Actual Class Tips
1. Attend class! This might seem like a given, but when you make the transition from high school to university life, you'll see how extremely easy it is to skip classes - especially when you're living on campus. Just because you can get away with missing class, doesn't mean you shouldn't. You're paying for classtime and time with your professors, so don't let it go to waste. There's a lot you learn just from being in the classroom that you don't want to miss out on.
2. Read the book! On average, you'll pay about $100 per book per course (if you're buying used), so don't use your book as a really expensive paperweight. Even if your professor doesn't assign a lot of work from the book or use it during classroom-time, don't discount the benefits of taking your own time to go through those textbooks. Chances are, if they made you buy it, there's useful information there. Try to match up your textbook reading with what's going on in the classroom and take notes from there too.
3. Keeps some books/notes/papers. It's tempting to get rid of everything after the course is over, but try to keep as much as is reasonable possible, even when you're done with the course. Don't throw away your research papers and essays (save a digital copy somewhere), and if there's a textbook that pertains to your textbook (and you can afford to keep it), keep it. It might help you with something else down the line. Also, if there's a textbook you legitimately enjoyed reading (yes, that does happen), keep that too. You'll be surprised of the strange things you'll find entertaining to read after you leave college.
4. Take notes and re-write them later. One of the easiest ways to study is to take notes (both from the lecture and from your textbook) and spend some time re-writing them. It's a surefire way to make sure that information gets lodged nice and good in your brain. It's also a good way to double-check that you really do understand the work. If you're going over something as you re-write it and it looks a bit confusing, that's the perfect time to make sure you get things cleared up. Re-writing notes is especially helpful with courses that require remembering a lot of facts or formulas.
5. Spend time in the library. You're probably used to studying in the bedroom. Don't carry that high school habit over to college. There's a lot to be gained from being in an environment that's specifically set aside for you to study in. It's quiet, distraction free, and a great source of information. Utilize it. (The library is extra handy if you share a dorm room. Roommates are HUGE distractions.)
6. Talk with your professors/check in with your counselors. Your professors are the experts and they're sole purpose is to make sure you're learning. So if you're having any trouble, take some time after class or during their office hours to talk to your professor. Unlike high school, college professors can be really accessible and easy to reach outside of the classroom. Also, aside from the educational benefits, if you're part of a huge class, getting some one on one time with your professors will help set you apart from other classmates. This can help you later on - especially if you need letter of recommendations or your professor knows of special opportunities you can take advantage of.
The same goes for your counselors. They are there to help you and guide your in your education. Don't ignore them (or let them ignore you). Try to check in at least twice a semester.
7. Talk to your classmates. Not in a disruptive way, of course, but after and outside of class. You're all here for the same thing and sometimes talking through the classwork with others can help you get a stronger hold on the material. Interacting with classmates is also a great way to get help when you need it and to make new friends in a new environment.
8. Do take your education seriously. You're not a character in your favorite frat movie. College is about a lot more than frat parties, binge drinking, and sex (though there will be time for that). You can't spending 95% of your time partying, drunk, high, or hungover and expect to remotely decent grades or even graduate. People don't earn degrees by magic. So, even if it's tempting to do otherwise, remember to make your education a priority.
I know it's easy to fall into the "College is a piece of cake" or "It's not important" or "I'll just squeeze by" mindset. A lot of social media and films make it seem like everyone's half-assing college and that's okay (in most college films, you barely ever see anyone studying or even attend a class), but that just isn't true. College is both expensive, tough, and time consuming, so don't think you can live like a Tumblr meme or a member of the Animal House and come out of it for the better.