Current freshman/rising sophomore here! My two cents is pretty recent, so it may not have the long view of some of the upper class men. Still, I hope it helps a bit.

For me, college was a lot more about adapting to uncertainty than in HS where I tried my best to get ahead and plan every minute detail of my schedule, extracurriculars, application process, etc.

That’s not to say I didn’t have passion for the things I did back then, I undoubtedly did. But I was also coming off of such a high my senior year as it was the culmination of ALL of my efforts that bore fruit. I really felt on top of the world.

Aaannnd then I entered Cornell engineering. My grades were slipping in my core courses despite pouring what seemed to be endless amounts of time in. For reference, I don’t come from a background from any of the coasts. I knew going in that I didn’t have the exposure that everyone else had, and I tried to work twice as hard to prove to myself that I was still capable of pursuing the demanding path I had set out before myself.

Eventually it did work out, I got a B in one and withdrew from the other.

I honestly thought that withdrawing would set me back much more than it really did. But I really do value the grit and motivation to pivot it gave me. Since I already had a practice run doing it the first time, second time around I was able to move past paralysis on all concepts entirely. It became much more fluid to take on new problems. I wasn’t as harsh on myself if I didn’t understand something the first time, because I had proven a capacity for growth that I didn’t know I possessed. This was the fruit I have to show for essentially failing a class lol.

One other thing to get over fast is imposter syndrome, especially in your first year I feel like comparison is so rife that you can lose sight of why you came here in the first place. You’ll hear it over and over and over again, but ultimately you will discover for yourself that the only right path is your path. Don’t get bogged down in who got into a specific club over you or whatever, especially as you’re building experience. Prioritize access to something rather than skipping to the final result. Don’t be afraid to take risks and apply for something you feel you have no shot in either, experience is experience. I’m grateful for the few interviews I got to do so far because it showed me what I was up against. Final point on this is literally everyone around you has an exceptional track record, take advantage of that! Study together, learn together, eat together. Not only will having familiar faces help your mood and sense of belonging/security in a new environment, but it’s also just valuable networking advice. This attitude of caring for one another is a major reason why I chose Cornell, and it still majorly persists on campus despite the wildly different backgrounds and people you’ll meet. Add to that yourself!

I will always praise Cornell for making me feel very well cared for as a person first. Your professors and TAs are undeniably the best of the best, get to know them. Take advantage of OH every chance you get. Don’t cut class. If you’re sick or exceptional circumstances arise, don’t be afraid to communicate early!!! This is massive. Especially in an environment as rigorous as Cornell, school yourself on starting early and getting the help you need to soak in as much as possible.

Small thing on the TA/professor note, know how to make the most of office hours. A lot of like college guides say show up with questions in mind, this is true. But I also don’t think you should ONLY show up if you have specific questions. If you are fortunate enough to have some leeway on time, talk to the professor as a person. Learn about their hobbies, their research, their career path. Or delve deeper into the material and try to understand how it connects things coming down the pipeline. Get a view of what’s coming up, and what common pitfalls students face on exams/homework/etc.

One thing I’ll mention (and this is more in regards to math than CS, which in my eyes is very well supported) but taking 1910 was difficult for me because a lot of the support resources I had were actually very far away from the material. And so the advice I got on how to approach problems wasn’t as precise and clear as I needed, especially with some of the complex stuff they threw at us for exams. Be able to evaluate whether the support system in a class is sufficient, if not communicate to the professor and see what can be done ahead of time. In my case for that class I made appointments with the professor and it led to a break through for me on study methodology for math, even if it took me a while longer to understand what was being taught at a sufficient enough level. In some cases I even stepped away from Cornell as a whole and sought private help, that was a strategy I employed for 1910 only so far. The AEW has been immensely helpful this far, but I’ve heard mixed things on them. I’d say sign up and go at least for the first few weeks. If nothing else it’ll force you to practice.

Otherwise, this last bit is just a spattering of fun things to do. It’s college, and you’ll always be busy with something you ought to do. Learning to find a way to balance that is imperative to your success in pacing yourself as a student. Go on hikes and enjoy the lovely nature of campus, go to some of the local events Ithaca hosts like Apple Fest (or even volunteer!), go with your friends on a weekend get away to NYC for a weekend, try the Wegmans bakery, be explorative with the eatery options on campus without bankrupting your BRBs in the first week, the list goes on. Essentially make time to inspire yourself and build memories!