As a Biological Sciences major, it was very new for me to take these chemistry courses. I have never taken such courses in high school, and since university courses are very rigorous, it was hard for me to keep up. I actually understood when people say that they don't like Organic Chemistry as well. All of the upperclassmen that I ran into while attending university gave me such great advice and study tips that I continued to use for the whole year. For example, some courses, like chemistry or physics, most definitely require practice problems to learn. I consider this one of the main reasons why these courses have discussion sessions, because we need the extra practice outside of lecture to learn better. Therefore, I would recommend all incoming students -- if there is a discussion session, please attend! Unless you are a professional at that study, which most of us will not be, that extra course time is necessary. In addition, most things just simply do not make sense. It is our job to either learn by going to office hours or asking questions during lectures, or we must just memorize. If there is no time to learn the true meaning behind a certain mechanism, it is in our best interest to just memorize it. Memorize, then for the final, learn it best.
One fact about me is that I am in Air Force ROTC, and I am very dedicated to serving my country. I grew very close with the Cadre members here this semester, (our Captains, in short) and I will forever remember the great relationship I was able to have. I am usually the shy, introverted type, but Air Force ROTC has pulled me out of my shell, and I was able to communicate more with people in my colloquium. In addition, I was able to communicate and become friends with more cadets who are in Air Force ROTC as well, and it was interesting learning about everyone's background and motives for attending university. I recommend for incoming freshmen to be as open as possible in regards to their personality, and be open to listen to anyone's story. College friendships definitely do last long, so it is beneficial to start early. If you get into the habit of just being alone, enjoying alone time, you will not be able to open up after this.
Now, talking with your friends does not only bring friendships. It can also bring motivation, a study partner, and a future business worker. If this is something that is a problem for you throughout college, communication can fix this. Not everyone will be as open or social as you are, so it is in your hands to work through making friends, joining clubs, or sororities/fraternities, because they really do help you -- even something as simple as having someone to eat with at the dining hall. For me, I was very unprepared in making friends. I had lots of clubs that I was active in, but those people I met were not true friends, because I only had the chance to see them one every few weeks. So, make good decisions and figure out what needs to be done in order for you to be successful, socially and mentally.