Whether you are just starting college or you have been here for years, learning new tips and tricks are essential for success.

Falling behind early in the semester is a common problem college students face. Keeping up at the beginning of the semester is important to having a good school year. It is hard to get back up again once you fall behind, but Pinterest has tips on how to not fall behind in your classes.

Some of the tips are cliché and told often, like not skipping classes and putting your phone away, but some are things people don’t often think about when aiming for early semester success.

Study after class

When you have spent the whole class taking notes and listening to your professor lecture for what seems like forever, the important information can be lost. By studying right after class, it can help soak in that information that may have gone right over your head before.

“Well, what if I have classes back to back?” Study as soon as possible to absorb that information. Do not treat it as though you’re cramming for a test by simply reviewing information, like reading a paragraph over again in a textbook.

Rewrite your notes in your own words

This may seem pointless and like a hassle, but it can work. When you are in class, your handwriting becomes illegible when trying to keep up with a quick lecture.

By rewriting your notes you are not only reviewing the information, but you are also making it more understandable by putting it in “your own language.”

Try rewriting your notes in your own words when you study after class.

Create an assignment sheet

This tip is for those who never use planners. Sometimes planners do not fit a person’s schedule or lifestyle, so they must use other means to make sure they do not miss an assignment. This is where an assignment sheet comes in.

Go through all your syllabuses and create a chart, one column for due dates, another for the class and the last for the assignment due. You can even designate a colored highlighter for each class. By doing this, you can leave it on your desk or somewhere where you will see it every day instead of keeping a planner with you at all times.

This prevents you from missing any major assignments. It also gives you the satisfaction of crossing things off a listen when you complete them, giving you a sense of accomplishment.

Notice the harder courses

Normally within the first week you can tell which class you will struggle with the most. If you recognize you might struggle with a class, try and get ahead of the game on assignments or reading in the textbook. This will help prevent you from falling behind and prepare you to ask more questions in class. Just like that, your hardest course will be the easiest.

Time management

This is the worst of all and is the hardest adjustment for most college students. To make this easier, calculate how much time you have, whether in between, before or after classes, and utilize any second you can to not fall behind in any class.

Being honest with yourself of how long assignments will take you will make this process easier. If you know a certain assignment will take longer than any others, set aside enough time for that project. By assigning specific times for certain subjects, it will keep you from breaking that schedule.

Stop to breathe

Many students get caught up in the stress of keeping up and lose sight of the fact that they are only human. If you start to fall behind in your classes, it is okay. It is not the end of the world, and there is still hope. By taking a second to think and breathe, it can relieve that stress that you are focusing on and open your mind to how to fix the problem you are struggling with.

Be honest with your professor

If these tips end up not working out for you and you fall behind in a class, just be honest. Common mistakes students make are saying they are okay in a course and not asking a professor for help when they need it.

If you tell your professor, then they can’t just say you are a lazy student who doesn’t want to succeed. Every professor wants you to succeed, so be honest and they will try their best to help.