99 Motivators for College Success: THE High School Graduation Gift Book: 20 Reviews from Amazon/Goodreads

5.0/5.0 (11 Amazon Reviews)

4.56/5.00   (9 Goodreads Ratings) 

Robin rated it 5/5 it was amazing

I received this book through Goodreads Giveaways and it was a very appropriate gift for my son who graduated in May 2016 from high school. Some excellent motivators and well written, it is perfect! Thank you!  July 9, 2016

Billie rated it 4/5 really liked it
I received this book free from Goodreads Giveaways. The tips and quotes for college success, career and life choices are excellent. This is a great book to give to a high school graduate.  May 2, 2016

lleana rated it 5/5 it was amazing

I have received this book free from Goodreads! This book will definitely be very useful in the future. Right now I am a high school student and I'm going to be taking a Law Studies class my Junior year and I think this book will be very useful, thank you! July 4, 2012

Chris rated it 5/5 it was amazing

The book is divided into three sections: how to adjust to college, how to succeed in class, and how to properly apply your degree to your future career.
Of the career section, the best advice numbers came with the bureau of labor statistic inserts, allowing an influence and perspective into the quote or advice. In succeeding in class, the most helpful pages had advice on mentors and how to properly write an essay or take a multiple choice test. The Adjusting to college had a huge emphasis placed on making friends and overall enjoying life because that is what one should be doing at college.
Overall, it was a great book. Only problem is that I am now freaking out over my career prospects. Oh well!  November 18, 2012

David rated it 5/5 it was amazing

Received this book in a giveaway, but its advice is WAY more valuable than that might hint.
The one that really sticks out (and could have saved me a lot of wasted time) is how you should choose a vocation (pays well!) versus an avocation (hobby; little or no pay!). July 2, 2012

Shayla rated it 4/5 really liked it

Nov. 30, 2016

Harish rated it 4/5 really liked it

October 31, 2013

Cassie  ♥ rated it 4/5 really liked it

June 30, 2012

Jason rated it 5/5 it was amazing

June 18, 2012

99 Motivators for College Success was selected for the 2016/2017 Book Award Program by Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia. Each year, the College's Alumni Office selects and sends a special book to hundreds of rising high school seniors nationwide, who are academically strong and possess leadership potential.

99 Motivators for College Success on Amazon

Justice Cases for the Classroom

This summer, I am teaching LGLS 3020 (Introduction to Law), a GSU Robinson elective class that let's me explore some non-business topics.  As a part of the class, we examine justice issues in civil and criminal cases.  Class meets M/W at 1:50p.m.

Introduction to Justice Cases for Students

Unlike Hollywood law dramas, which neatly wrap up cases in an hour or two, achieving actual justice through the legal system is often slow, frustrating, and requires patience and persistence.

Below are real cases that I have studied, written about, and in some instances, maintained contact with the legal underdogs involved.  Each case has deeply personal significance to me for different reasons, and thus I write about them in the first person.  My hope is that if teachers and students experience my passion and engagement, they may be inspired to follow a local, national, or international cause and choose to participate as an impactful voice, whether through social media or some other avenue.

Continue reading Justice Cases for the Classroom

FREE Goodreads Book Giveaway: 99 Motivators 4 College Success begins MARCH 26

Congrats to Rhonda & Izzy - Winners from 512 contest entries

Goodreads Book Giveaway: 99 Motivators 4 College Success begins MARCH 26
- Two Signed copies available. 
- Makes a great HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION GIFT. 
- Selected for the 2016/2017 Book Award Program by Randolph College in Virginia. Each year, the College's Alumni Office selects and sends a special book to hundreds of rising high school seniors nationwide, who are academically strong and possess leadership potential.


Legal Studies professor Perry Binder wrote 99 Motivators for College Success to inspire college freshmen to succeed the moment they enter college. The book contains motivational stories, quotes, and bite-sized tips for Millennials to succeed in the classroom and pick a career path. In 99 Motivators, Professor Binder gives away all of his secrets, including how to write model college essay exam answers, and what skills are needed to succeed in a post-college career.

Details:
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/228999-99-motivators-for-college-success

College Admissions Counselors: Avoid Summer Melt with 10 Tips for Your Deposited Students

My university (Georgia State) has many First Gen students. I offer these 10 tips to motivate them over the summer. The tips are excerpts from my book, 99 Motivators for College Success, which colleges can mail to their deposited students:

10 Motivators for Professional Success

1. Don't let anyone crush your professional dreams.  However, the riskier your dream, the better your backup plan must be.

            Fly with a net or no net?

2. Live life with no regrets.  Sometimes doing the “wrong thing” may be the right thing for you.  Just be prepared to deal with the consequences.

3. The most important thing during school is to get out of the classroom and into an internship, which exposes you to the day-to-day ups and downs of that profession.  "Learning by doing" will give you a better appreciation of the job than learning through textbooks.

4. Do what you love but don't let your career choices jeopardize anyone you love. Including yourself.

Translation 1: Take care of others but don't forget to take care of yourself, sometimes before others.  Listen to our airline flight attendants: "Put your own oxygen mask on first before assisting others with their masks."

Translation 2: Do you know how to say NO to people you love or work with?

5. Determine whether you are driven to be your own boss or if you crave the stability of a steady paycheck.  Assess your personality traits and the risks inherent with both paths. (e.g., the risk of putting up your own money as your own boss versus the risk of losing a job in a company you work for) 

6. Don't rely on luck or fate in your career.  Professional success is about putting yourself in a position to create numerous opportunities.

            Can networking actually be fun?

                       

7. Over the course of your lifetime, there may only be a handful of impactful career opportunities.  Assemble an inner circle team of advisors now, so you'll be able to act quickly to objectively assess the pluses and minuses of future opportunities.

8. Do you recognize impactful career opportunities when they present themselves?  If you go for it, do you know what it means to push all of your chips into the middle?

9. Clean up your social media presence online!  What's publicly available might not bode well for your future employment. 

10. Always have fun!

            Well, I could only come up with 9 legit suggestions :)

Excerpt: 99 Motivators for College Success

Asheville, Atlanta, Toronto: Presenting "Teaching Justice Issues with Three Law Case Outcomes of Yes, No, and Maybe"

Over the next few months, I'll be hitting the road to present these justice issues, which form the basis of my Teacher's Guide to Justice Cases for the Classroom:

INTRODUCTION TO JUSTICE CASES

Unlike Hollywood law dramas, which neatly wrap up cases in an hour or two, achieving actual justice through the legal system is often slow, frustrating, and requires patience and persistence.

Below are real cases that I have studied, written about, and in some instances, maintained contact with the legal underdogs involved.  Each case has deeply personal significance to me for different reasons, and thus I write about them in the first person.  My hope is that if teachers and students experience my passion and engagement, they may be inspired to follow a local, national, or international cause and choose to participate as an impactful voice, whether through social media or some other avenue.

Summary of the Three Legal Underdog Cases

(1)  Grandpa v. Coal Mining Company.  A mining company dumped coal waste in a dammed river, with an elementary school directly downstream.  Elevated incidences of cancer were reported for school staff and students, prompting a student’s grandfather to walk 400 miles to get an audience with his U.S. Senator.  Grandpa tried to secure funding to build a new school, away from the coal company.

Perry’s Personal Connection:  For years, I taught a justice course using a book, The Buffalo Creek Disaster.  The author of that book represented plaintiffs in West Virginia, where a dam with coal waste gave way, and devastated coal miners and their families living downstream:  125 dead. 1000 homes destroyed. 4,000 survivors reliving the horror.  That case was from the 1970’s.  When I read about Grandpa’s case, I could not believe that history could potentially repeat itself in the 21^st century, this time with students and teachers in harm’s way.  I became a Facebook administrator for Grandpa’s cause, and interviewed people connected to his initiative.

(2)  9/11 Families v. U.S. Government.  Ten days after 9/11, Congress passed the Victim Compensation Fund.  Its purpose was to provide monetary relief to injured individuals on the ground and for family members of those who died.  Ninety six families bypassed the Fund and filed lawsuits, seeking answers from the government on what security breaches occurred on that fateful day.

Perry’s Personal Connection:  The students reading about this case are likely not old enough to remember September 11, 2001.  I am originally from New York City and felt as helpless as anyone that day.  Living in Atlanta, I wanted to be connected to New Yorkers somehow.  Soon thereafter, I set up a website, 9-11 Civil Liability, with case updates and other information, and corresponded with a few family members seeking legal counsel.

(3)  Innocent Man? v. D.A.’s Office.  A father and son were arrested for alleged child molestation acts committed in their basement.  The father, a retired high school teacher who was teaching computer classes in his home, entered into a plea deal.  While maintaining his innocence, he believed that his plea would somehow benefit the son’s case.  However, facing a hostile community and life in prison if convicted, the teenager accepted a plea deal too.  Years later, the son was granted an “Actual Innocence” hearing, to try to clear his name.

Perry’s Personal Connection:  The father was my favorite high school teacher, and I was confused and emotional as the facts of the case unfolded.  I've published three articles on the son’s case (while maintaining an objective stance concerning his innocence), and get periodic updates from his Twitter feed and representative.

Please keep reading here, and then learn just how long it takes to achieve justice -- or not!

New Year's Motivation: Never Crush Anyone's Dreams (Including Your Own)

Dr. J at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, before an exhibition game to attract an NBA franchise (Miami Heat)

CAREER PATH MOTIVATOR #4

(99 Motivators for College Success)

Don’t let anyone crush your dreams.  However, the riskier your dream, the better your backup plan must be.

Never crush anyone’s dreams

When I was a little kid, I dreamed about playing professional basketball.  In third grade, we had to write an essay on what we wanted to be when we grew up.  I wrote that I wanted to be 6’10” and play in Madison Square Garden.  When the teacher handed back my paper, she laughed out loud and said: “You can’t do that!”

That was the first time someone had crushed my professional dream.  The teacher may have been right about the 6’10” part, but this molder of young minds lacked the understanding of what negative reinforcement can do to little kids.  She also lacked the understanding that height isn’t everything for a basketball player.  Teachers, especially in the impressionable K-12 years, are my personal heroes.  Yet they need to be dream builders, not dream destroyers.  It’s healthy to discuss rational backup career plans, but why spoil youthful exuberance which could flower into the unexpected?

            Postscript:  When I was 25 years old, I met the great Dr. J and got to play one-on-one with 7’4” center Mark Eaton of the Utah Jazz, that year’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year.  I’ll leave the game results to your active imagination.

Presenting E.T.H.I.C.S. (Elevating Trust Has Inspired Customer Satisfaction)

An old lesson for a new year...

Presenting E.T.H.I.C.S.

(Elevating Trust Has Inspired Customer Satisfaction)

 © 2003-2017 Perry Binder

This article first appeared in Professional Speaker magazine.

Reprinted:  The Human Resource; ASTD Atlanta Newsletter; Atlanta HR Leadership Forum; Atlanta CPCU Newsletter

Do any of these statements ring familiar?

- In the old days, a deal could be done on a handshake.

- A person's word used to be as good as gold.

- The bottom line has become more important than people.

I recently spoke before a group of HR and insurance professionals about customers losing trust in their industry. As the pressure to produce increases, the industry seems to cut corners. Sadly, company communication is breaking down by ignoring the very backbone of the industry, the loyal clients.

Discussing the topic of ethics before a captive audience is a very delicate process. The presenter must strike the appropriate balance between making the audience comfortable by offering objective information in an energized and thoughtful manner, without excessive preaching about the importance of ethical behavior.

I believe that each of us has a strong moral compass which gets tested every day on the job. As a presenter, if I can provide concrete examples to an audience of how unethical behavior will adversely affect a company, I can then initiate a dialogue of ethical dilemmas in any industry. My goal is to give participants a frame of reference, not to instill ethical beliefs. By providing people with relevant analogies, hopefully they will develop the tools needed to prevent any unethical situations arising in a company setting.

I. The Erosion of Client Confidence

The recent explosion of bad faith lawsuits filed by dissatisfied customers is evidence of an erosion in confidence:

- An insurance company's delay and denial of a homeowner's claim for cleaning up toxic mold caused by a water leak led the client to sue the insurance company.

The result:

$6.2 million compensatory damages

$12 million punitive damages

$5 million for mental anguish

$8.9 million in attorney fees!!

- An insurance company's "No settlement stance" led a client to sue his automobile insurance company for bad faith.  The client had been in a car accident which led to the death of one motorist, and disabling injuries to another.  The company refused to settle for the policy limits of $25,000, in spite of overwhelming evidence of the client's fault in the accident.  This led to a jury verdict in excess of $25,000, thus exposing the client to personal liability.  The client then turned around and sued the insurance company for bad faith.

The result:  $2.6 million in compensatory damages and $145 million in punitive damages (The judge lowered the jury;s award to "only" $1 million in compensatory damages, and $25 million in punitive damages)

If the initial, knee-jerk reaction of a company is to turn its back on a client, all of the trust built over the years with that client is instantly lost.  Immediately, an adversarial relationship is created.  It is the very nature of confrontational environments which may plant the seeds of unethical behavior.

II. Building Trust is the Key to Avoiding Ethical Dilemmas

 As a lighthearted analogy, I use an Aesop's Fable, where two buddies (insurance salesperson and client) are traveling together in the woods, when a bear rushes out in front of them.  On instinct, the salesperson grabs a tree branch and climbs a tree, stranding the client.  Ever resourceful, the client feigns death, knowing the bear won't eat dead meat.  After the bear sniffs close to the client's ear, it eventually leaves the area.  As the salesperson climbs down the tree, he laughingly asks the client:  "What did that big bad bear whisper?"  The client glares, then offers:  "He said, never trust a friend who deserts you in a pinch."

This issue of trust permeates any discussion of company ethics. It is a message which must start at the top, and is a number one priority in all company-customer relationships. 

III. Tips on Ethics Presentations for Every Industry

1. An observation: The role of the presenter is not to change peoples' minds about ethics - rather it is to give the audience a frame of reference with examples of unethical behavior.

2. Start the session off in a light manner, using a humorous story to make a larger point.

3. Never put audience members on the spot.  The topic of ethics is so sensitive, that the facilitator must put no one on the defensive.

4. Remind the audience about the good news:  That most people in the industry have very strong morals, and usually do the ethical thing.

5. Find specific cases of extreme ethical violations in a particular industry.  These examples will generate discussion on how solid communication and trust might have prevented an escalation of unethical behavior.

6. Give hope to audience members. Remind them that special attention to the customer will slowly build back any lost trust.

7. Consider a presentation where audience members construct a brief, uniform Ethics Mission Statement.

8.  Emphasize that employers must continually educate employees on company ethics. There are no quick-fixes to such an important topic.

9.  Have fun in any presentation! (the most important lesson of all)

10. Remember E.T.H.I.C.S. - Elevating Trust Has Inspired Customer Satisfaction

Perry Binder, J.D.  is a legal studies professor in Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business in Atlanta, Georgia.  Professor Binder conducts seminars for large and small companies on a range of topics, including social media ethics, litigation prevention, and sexual harassment/discrimination.

The Inspiring Teacher Series: Interviews with Master Teachers from K-12 & College

My favorite blog posts over the years involved interviews with great teachers who've inspired students year after year.  This post brings all of those interviews together.

The Inspiring Teacher Series: Interviews with Master Teachers from K-12 to College

Enjoy!


Questions included:
What inspired you to teach?
What teaching methods are most helpful in guiding students towards their goals?
What would you like to improve about your teaching?
What is the one thing you wish you'd known when you started your teaching career?

Kindergarten
Bridget Robbins

Middle School
Travis Tingle

High School
Paul Cohen
Brendan Halpin
Barry Hantman

College
Jody Blanke
Greg Henley
Mara Mooney

Is Technology Improving or Complicating Our Lives?

Speaking pro bono for a retirement community in Alpharetta, Georgia...

Is Technology Improving or Complicating Our Lives?

Dec. 13, 2016

11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

An Informal Discussion with

PERRY BINDER, J.D.

Social Media Law Professor, Georgia State University

Author, 99 Motivators for College Success

Perry Binder is a professor in Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business.  He is also an attorney and author of 99 Motivators for College Success, which inspires Millennials to flourish in college and become leaders in the business world.  In 2016, 99 Motivators was selected for the Book Award Program by Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia.

10th Annual GSU Corporate IP Institute, Oct. 25-26, 2016

Please join us for our two-day conference for Intellectual Property practitioners:

Established in 2007 through Georgia State Law, Robinson College of Business and the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), one of the world’s top IP organizations, to provide a singular forum for over 150 in-house IP professionals to discuss issues they face, exchange ideas, and network locally and nationally.  Speakers come from corporations large and small, national and international organizations, academia, and the bar.

Click here for schedule/brochure (CLE credits)

Click here to register today 

Life Lessons from 99 Motivators for College Success

Article from the Robinson College of Business web page:

The start of the semester can be a stressful time for students, but Perry Binder, associate professor of risk management and insurance at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business, is happy to help. “It’s easy to get overwhelmed with a new semester,” Binder says, however, he’s spent a lot of time working on ways to help students conquer those nerves and excel.

Binder’s book, 99 Motivators for College Success, recently was sent to all incoming freshmen by the Randolph College Admissions Office to motivate them to succeed. He wrote the book to compile his experiences as a student and as a professor into a helpful guide that gives students tips for classes, studying, and life.
Click here to continue reading: 10 Ways to Succeed in College and Life

Student/Prisoner Story: First Day of College Law Class

Rio Olympic Athletes: Our School Kids Need to Hear Your Message of Hope

I wrote this article in the early 90's for the 25th Anniversary Event Program, honoring Bob Beamon for the Greatest Track & Field Feat in Olympic History. (Mexico City, 1968)  Its message still resonates today.

WIND BENEATH MY WINGS
by Bob Beamon with Perry Zane Binder

Sometimes when I get home after a particularly hectic day, I'll put on some jazz and take out my African drums to strike up a beat. As I close my eyes, my body succumbs to the rhythmic vibrations of pounding drums. With the stress of the day draining off, I kick back and try to reflect on where I've been and where I'm going. Sometimes my mind wanders back to Mexico City and 1968; but mostly, I think about today and tomorrow, one day at a time.

I work up a good beat and follow the flow. This morning, I went to an elementary school to talk with a few hundred children about precious opportunities. The kids cheered when I showed a replay of the jump. That got their attention. But then one kid laughed when I confided that I couldn't read a book at his age. He didn't mean anything by it, but it's hard to know sometimes who listens closely to the lessons of the past - who we can reach and who remains lost in America's school corridors and neighborhood back alleys.

As a kid growing up in Jamaica, Queens, I could barely find a positive role model in the neighborhood. The money and fancy clothes flashed around by local drug dealers and pimps were tempting and offered a quick way out. The message of sacrifice offered by parents, guardians and teachers who toil anonymously in the trenches was brushed aside to satisfy the appetite of the moment. When a young man today wonders if he'll live to see his twenty-fifth birthday and our babies are having babies, it's easy to identify such an overwhelming sense of resignation on our nation's street corners.

The statistics are mind blowing. Nationwide, an estimated 270,000 firearms are brought to our kids' schools every day. While a recent United Way survey identified that non-profit groups reach out to an estimated 15,000 "at-risk" youth in Dade County, Florida, another 120,000 needy kids aren't getting proper attention. Let's get one thing straight - in some way, all of our youth are at risk. Before we can isolate what makes children tick, their parents must first discover what makes themselves function effectively. Before parents can instill a sense of pride and dignity in a child, before we can talk about molding model citizens, mothers and fathers must feel good about who they are. A stable home life is the first priority our country must address before we can consider the active role that athletes can play in developing healthy minds and bodies.

Obviously, each kid is not going to cross the finish line first, but as Baron Pierre de Courbertin of France (the inspiration behind holding the modern Olympic Games) stated: "The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part; the important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. "

Ultimately, the lesson for our youth to gather is that it is not imperative to take home the gold medal. Champions are not made on the field or track; champions are made according to your accomplishments and abilities in every day life situations. The same tools that I used to succeed athletically can be applied to succeeding personally. Just as practice in long jumping made me successful, practice in whatever your profession or hobby may be will make you equally as successful. A sound work ethic will offer a framework for a youth's self-worth and the impetus to stand up and scream: "I am a Champion!"

One key to my athletic accomplishments, however, is that someone was eventually there to give me an opportunity. Whether it was Larry Ellis, my high school track and field coach, or Ralph Boston, Mr. Long Jump, a helping hand guided me to focus out distractions and concentrate on honing my skills.

While an Olympic jump gave me notoriety and stature, that success does not define who I am. But sports did give me a backdrop of discipline to apply each day. This stable force helps me to face the realities of keeping up with today's rigors. Our children must be taught such lessons from sports - how to set realistic goals, stick to them, work through them and redefine them to stretch their talents to new heights.

Because as the image of an eternal Olympic torch burns an indelible message of hope and respect in our hearts and minds, the flame is beginning to flicker. The fire in our neighborhood streets is simply suffocating the spirit and dreams of every kid who is taken for granted and not given an opportunity to flourish.

The great news is that high profile athletes are anxious to offer their time to find solutions. From Nate Archibald in Harlem to James Worthy in Compton and everyone in between the two coasts, athletes are coming to the rescue of young people in vast numbers. The simple point is that we have the ability to attract a kid's attention. Let's use our gifts constructively.

The boys and girls growing up in America are the wind beneath my wings. They are my motivation for rising each morning with an inspired outlook. So tonight, my eyes are open as I allow the drum beat to guide my thoughts about yesterday and today. About Mexico City. About some anonymous kids marking time by hanging out on the corner. About tomorrow's journey.

My beat is strong and fluid now, yet it seeks interpretation and clarity. It reaches out for your understanding and support.

The beat goes on. It simply has to.

1994 Bio: Perry Zane Binder is a sports radio talk show host on WSBH in Miami Beach (Love of the Game).

c 1994-2016 Perry Binder

Speaking at GSU Summer Leadership Academy on Career Paths, Majors & Leadership

Looking forward to speaking again with talented and motivated Atlanta high school students on June 23!  

Career Tips for High School Students

99 Motivators for College Success – Excerpts

© 2012-2016 Perry Binder, LLC

www.99Motivators.com

1. Don't let anyone crush your dreams.  However, the riskier your dream, the better your backup plan must be.

2. There is a huge difference between a childhood dream and a dream job. If you dreamed of being a lawyer since the age of twelve, you better make sure you know exactly what attorneys do on a given twelve hour work day. 

3. Make sure your dream job is not an avocation (a hobby). An avocation is a vacation from a vocation, because the pay ranges from little to nothing.

4. No matter what your part-time jobs or summer jobs are, always be thinking about how those experiences will enhance your resume and work skills.

5. The most important thing for deciding on a major or career path is to get out of the classroom and into an internship which exposes you to the day-to-day ups and downs of that profession. "Learning by doing" will give you a better appreciation of the job than learning through textbooks.

6. Do what you love but don't let your career choices jeopardize anyone you love. Including yourself. Translation: Take care of others but don't forget to take care of yourself, sometimes before others. Listen to our airline flight attendants: "Put your own oxygen mask on first before assisting others with their masks."

7. Determine whether you are driven to be your own boss or if you crave the stability of a steady paycheck. Assess your personality traits and the risks inherent with both paths. (e.g., the risk of putting up your own money as your own boss versus the risk of losing a job in a company you work for) 

8. Rather than casually asking career advice from parents or other relatives, set up a time to interview them, with prepared general and specific questions. This approach will make them think more thoughtfully about their responses, and may reveal their personal career challenges and triumphs.

9. Don't rely on luck or fate in your career. Professional success is about putting yourself in a position to create numerous opportunities.

10. Over the course of your lifetime, there may only be a handful of impactful career opportunities. Assemble an inner circle team of advisors now, so you'll be able to act quickly to objectively assess the pluses and minuses of future opportunities.

And finally, clean up your social media presence online!  What's publicly available might not bode well for your future employment. 

Signed Book Giveaway: 99 Motivators for College Success

Three (3) Signed Books!  Makes a great high school graduation gift.
Free Giveaway: 99 Motivators for College Success

Enter here at Goodreads by May 1, 2016

High School Graduation Gift Book

Pictured below is me at age 25, playing against that year's NBA Defensive Player of the Year.  This pic is the basis of Motivator #4 - Don't let anyone crush your dreams.

Perry

Click here to purchase on Amazon:
99 Motivators for College Success

Click here to purchase on Amazon:
99 Motivators for College Success

10 Classroom Tips for Your First College Semester

High school seniors will be starting their college careers before they know it!  I wrote this article with them in mind:

10 Classroom Tips for Your First College Semester
As a freshman, it is not only okay to have no idea what to major in, it's also a sign of an open mind to the diverse menu that college has to offer. Hopefully, you are choosing courses which seem interesting to you rather than classes that parents or peers say you have to take immediately.
To me, a college class is just like a Hollywood screenplay, with peaks, valleys, and escalating conflicts along the way. Your professor may be the writer, director, and critic, but you are the lead actor and protagonist who must navigate the obstacles and perform well on each test thrown at you. Try to keep in mind though, that professors are actually rooting for you to succeed. When you fail, they fail.
1- The first day of class is the most important session because it sets the tone for the semester. Rather than grabbing a syllabus, tuning out, and leaving, expect more from yourself that day. You have the power to stay in or drop the class, so intently gauge the course relevance, workload, and potential deliverables.

Continue Reading Here