WELCOME!
Take a deep breath. The rat line doesn’t exist here–well, in the physical space at least.
ERH 101 will help you learn how to write for academic audience in academic genres. It’s a class that prepares you for the writing you’ll do in college, from the traditional academic essay to the lab report. You’ll do this by learning about discourse communities, rhetoric, and literacy.
I suspect you’re a little nervous right now. Last week was probably rough. But you made it through matriculation and registration day. You’re here! You’re starting college finally!
College is nothing like high school. I wish I could tell you that it is, but I’d be lying, and that’s against the honor code, right?
This class is nothing like high school English. You’re going to learn that quickly, and it may be uncomfortable. So below are some tips for success to help you acclimate to your new normal:
1. READ YOUR SYLLABI–really
Syllabi differ from discipline to discipline, professor to professor, but one thing remains the same: This is where the professor tells you what she’s going to do and what she expects you to do. All her expectations are right there in that document. READ IT. Yes, I’m yelling at you right now. I put this first because it’s the most important. (By the way, this is a rhetorical strategy called “arrangement.”)
Listen to Morpheus:
2. Don’t procrastinate.
You will pay dearly for it in the end. Don’t try to finish all your work in one big chunk. Break it into manageable pieces. Don’t be Aragorn. 
3. Go to office hours.
You’re at a college that prioritizes teaching. That means your professors put a lot of time into the classroom and make themselves available for office hours. Students at larger, more research-driven colleges won’t get that experience. Take advantage of it. Go to office hours, or make an appointment with the professor. Drop in to say, “Hi!” or discuss the reading. They will remember you for good reasons.
4. Communicate with your faculty.
Your faculty are your teachers, but they can also be your advocates. From you adviser in your major to your course instructors, these are the people who will be closest to you outside of the BR system. Talk with them. Let them know when and how you’re struggling, whether it’s with course content, exhaustion, whatever. We might be able to help you, and if not, we know who can.
5. Use your resources.
Quantitative and qualitative studies have shown time and again that the most successful students–those who graduate with honors and/or in four years–use their resources extensively. They go to the Writing Center. They go to the Open Math Lab (in Preston Library). They go to the Miller Academic Center. They use planners. They go to counseling to help them learn how to deal with stress. They talk with their faculty and advisers. Use your resources. This is a sign of strength, not weakness.
