8 Things Ole Miss Freshmen Should Know to Succeed

Freshmen, we’re sure you’ve heard all of the advice by now. Don’t skip class. Don’t drink the hunch punch. Don’t forget to call home.
That’s a lot ‘don’ts’ though, right? Here are eight (more) things you should know to guarantee success at Ole Miss… and beyond!

1. Take A Front Row Seat – Make sure the professor knows you by name. If you are a male, take that seat by an attractive girl. If you are a coed, sit by a football player, if you can find one on the front row!
2. Ask Questions . . . After Class – It is great to participate in class discussions, but when there are 300 or more students in a class, it is difficult to stand out. To compensate for large classes, hang around after class and ask your instructor a question, and make sure the instructor knows your name, and begins to recognize your face. It is a fact that teachers are influenced by students who seem to really take an interest in the class.
3. Get Involved – Get involved early your first semester in every possible activity for which you have time to participate. Everything you do in college, can or should go on your resume and participation pays big dividends when you are looking for a job.
4. Meet The Speakers – Hundreds of speakers are brought to campus each year by every academic unit. Take the time to attend these events. Meet the speaker; make sure he or she knows your name. Ask for an e-mail address and drop the speaker a note later. Building your network of contacts over four years of college is the way to get a job!
5. Get a Job or Internship – Even if you don’t need the money, get a job or take a unpaid internship. Today’s job market requires more than adequate grades. Employers want to know you are motivated, that you can get along with people, work as a team, and that you will get out of bed and be at work at 8 a.m.!
6. Begin Your Future Now – During four years of college, each student has the opportunity to participate in dozens of activities, to meet campus visitors and many receive awards of recognition, large and small. All of these activities and recognition go on the resume, so create a resume on your computer during the first semester. Put everything you do on your resume. Much of what you do you will have forgotten if you wait until graduation to create your resume. Start now!
7. Network, Network, Network – One of the real values of a degree from Ole Miss is The Ole Miss Network. The friends and acquaintances you make on campus will become a meaningful and powerful network if you maintain it. Perhaps more than any other college or university, Ole Miss is family, and that family will be your lifeline for friendships and success throughout your career.
8. Hotty Toddy! – This familiar greeting is unique in the world, recognized by Ole Miss people everywhere. Open the door to your network with a Hotty Toddy and watch your network grow!