My advice to a new Math 207 Student,

Welcome to Calculus!  This semester will be a challenging one for you, but hopefully, with my suggestions, you will be able to successfully get through this class!

In order to succeed, you will have to know some things even before you walk into your Calculus classroom on the first day.  First off, sit towards the front.  If you do this, you will be forced to pay attention.  Secondly, make sure you get to know the people that sit around you.  If you are outgoing, strive to know the majority of the people in the class.  This will make class time more enjoyable for you but will also help you with your grades.  If you have trouble with something, you will have a peer to ask for help out of class.  Lastly, when your professor gives you the syllabus for the semester, start right away!  Start to do some of the assigned problems.  If they don't make any sense to you, at least read the material you will be going over in class the next day thouroughly.

There have been many things that I have discovered over the course of the semester that could be of value to you.  First, always keep up with your assignments.  Have your assignment done so that you can follow along when your professor lectures about the topic.  Some of the assigned problems will be difficult and you will not be able to understand them.  When this comes up, make sure that you ask questions.  The best way is to ask questions while in class.  If class time runs out, do not just forget about the problems you had on the assignment, go in and ask your professor during his/her office hours.  In addition to doing your assignments, take your own notes from the book.  This will help you to understand topics covered in lecture better.  For me, this technique really worked.  Once I began to take my own notes in addition to the notes I took from my professor's lecture, I did a lot better, especially on my weekly quizzes.  Lastly, everyone messes up sometimes.  If you get a bad grade on a quiz or an exam, make sure you know all the mistakes you made and why.  Chances are, you will see problems that you had trouble with on comprehensive tests.  Learn from your mistakes, and you will do better the next time you have the opportunity.

I hope some of my suggestions help you during your semester in Calculus.  Good luck!

Sincerely,

Michelle, Undecided major