Get a College Mailbox

• You will have a college mailbox even if you live off campus.
• Check your UCSC email account for your mailbox assignment and combination.
• Correspondence from the university may be sent to your college mailbox, including notices of important deadlines.
• Plan to check your mailbox at least once a week-most students share a box with another student, so you'll have to stay on top of the mail (be sure you pick up the right mail, too!).

Buy your Books

Save the receipt! Buying your books ahead allows you to start browsing and reading prior to the start of classes.

• If you buy your books early, you might find used copies that are less expensive.
• Be aware of return/refund policies and deadlines.
• Check out off-campus and online bookstores for bargains:
  
  • Slug Books - 224 Cardiff Place: Student-run; new and used textbooks
  • Logos Books and Records-117 Pacific Ave.: New and used books
  • The Literary Guillotine-204 Locust: New and used books
  • Westside Stories-847 Almar: Used and new books
  • Bookshop Santa Cruz-1520 Pacific Ave.: New and used books
  • Borders-1200 Pacific Ave.: New books
  • Amazon.com: New and used books

Check out the Student Portal

The student portal provides easy access to useful and important information.

• Use your SID and password to access the student portal.
• Remember to use a W in front of your SID when you log in.
• For technical support, email ais-help at ucsc dot edu with "student" in the subject line, or call (831) 459-1611.
• Update your current addresses and phone numbers regularly.

Activate your email account

• It is essential that you activate your UCSC email account, since most university business is communicated online or via email. Faculty, TAs, and advisors will use your UCSC email account. You will also receive announcements and invitations to special programs and events through your UCSC email account.
• Once you have set up your email account, you can forward it to another email account.

Learn to get around campus

• Pick up shuttle and metro bus system schedules prior to the start of the quarter, and check out the campus TAPS website.
• Locate your classes before they start - we've got a large campus and you may be covering a lot of ground. You can also try walking your schedule to be sure you'll have enough time between classes. (It's best not to schedule your classes back-to-back for this reason.)
• Familiarize yourself with the location of your major department, Hahn Student Services, and the ARC Center.

Find the campus computing labs

Once you find them, use the computing labs to...

• Access email
• Compose and email assignments to professors
• Access homework assignments
• Print your documents or Internet research (printing costs at the computer labs are automatically billed to your student account.)

If you write a document on one machine and print it on another, make sure you save to a format that both computers can open!

And of course, always back up your work!!

Set up your classes

Make sure you enroll in classes, attend your first class meeting, and make yourself known to your instructors.

• A normal course load is 15 credits. If you are having trouble finding classes, contact your college academic advisor for assistance.
• Learn to use the online Schedule of Classes and the most recent General Catalog, as they are the essential references.
• If you are receiving Financial Aid you will need to enroll in at least 12 credits, unless you've made other arrangements.
• If a class you'd like to take is closed, email or call the instructor and/or department to discuss the possibility of obtaining a permission number.
• Contact your college and your major department advisor if you need to make adjustments to your schedule.
• Go to the first class meeting of all your classes and discussion sections. If you miss the first class meeting the instructor may drop you from his/her roster. If you are dropped from an instructor's roster, you will need to drop the class on the portal.
• Go to your first class meeting with your books already purchased. There will probably be a reading assignment the first day; prioritize and begin reading your assignments immediately. The quarter system is ten weeks and goes by very quickly!
• Sit in the front row in class and participate in discussions.
• Keep up on the assigned reading and homework. Falling behind can have a snowball effect and it becomes very difficult to catch up.
• Go to the professor's and TA's office hours with questions and comments after you have read the assigned material and studied your notes.

Get to know the libraries

UCSC has two main libraries for your research and study needs, the Science Library and McHenry Library. To become a successful student...

• Take a library tutorial offered at the start of each quarter. There are tours and drop-in workshops available through the reference departments for learning CRUZCAT, Infotrac, and other online databases.
• The librarians at the reference desks are very helpful; ask questions or ask for assistance. This is a good place to get advice on beginning your research projects.
• Learn to use the reserve, media, and other specialized units in the libraries.
• Your student ID card has a library barcode on it; however, you will need to go to the library to activate the code.

Build a supportive network

• Get to know other students in class.
• Look for students who share your experiences, interests, and background by attending lectures, on and off campus functions, concerts, films, etc.
• Form a study group with other students who are reliable and motivated.
• The more people you know, the better chance you will learn about all kinds of resources; share a cup of coffee, tea, or chai with another student and make new friends.
• Check out SOAR (Student Organizations Advising and Resources) and join a club or organization.
• Become involved in student government or campus or community activism.

Special thanks to STARS staff and College Ten in compiling this list.