“I think sometimes the excitement gets to the point where they make trade-offs between working for class or doing other things that might change the extent to which they come to class,” he said.

While a bad grade in a single class won’t ruin a student completely, it’s better to maintain high grades right off the bat.

Finance freshman Sriram Vemparala  said he pushes hard at the beginning of each semester to make up for any lapses later on.

“I definitely start off on a high note because that’s probably the easiest time of the course, when you’re getting introduced to everything and trying to keep up with notes and readings and all that,” he said.

Vemparala said he advises students to meet as many people as possible in their classes, so they have someone to rely on if they miss a day.

Biochemistry graduate Kun Wang  said he recommends not waiting until finals to study for classes.

“Study a little bit every day and you’ll have an easier life in the end,” he said.

Anderson said students sometimes underestimate how valuable class participation is to enjoying a course.

“I think if you go to class and have a mindset where you’re willing to participate, I think that’s half the battle,” he said.

He also compared studying to sports. “One thing I say to recruits is, it’s no different academically than it is athletically. (Athletes) go to practice. Why? They want to play. Well, if you want to play academically, well guess what, go to class, do the homework, do the problems, whatever, and you get good.”