Whether you’re looking to work on your grades this semester, expand your knowledge of university resources or anything else, there are always ways to be a better student. Here are some insider tips for success on how to be a better graduate student.

Know Important Dates

Use a planner to write down due dates or other important dates/information. This will keep you organized and allow you to plan out assignments and projects. By keeping track of deadlines, you will be able to spread out the workload, which may keep you more stress-free in the future. Examples of important dates to keep track of are test dates, registration dates, degree completion deadlines and graduation application deadlines. One suggestion is to bookmark a link to the university calendar and your professors’ syllabi to reference. You may also want to keep a written copy of these dates in your planner so that you can stay informed of important dates ahead of time.

Check Your University Email

At UGA, official university notifications are sent exclusively to students’ university email addresses. This is the university’s primary means of communicating with you, so not checking your student email could put you at risk of missing important information. Also, for easier access you can have your university email forwarded to an account you check frequently. Utilize email as a tool for success so you can stay on top of important information.

Advising and Registration

You are not alone in this! Your academic advisor should help guide you through your degree and help you to make knowledgeable decisions along the way. Talk to your advisor about your concerns, goals or scheduling questions.

Be prepared to register for your classes as soon as you’re able. Plan out your schedule prior to registration; this way you will have a better idea of your course load and time commitments for each class. Popular classes will fill up the quickest, so always have a backup class in mind in case your ideal schedule doesn’t work out. If you can, reach out to students that have taken the class prior to you and ask them for tips on how to be most successful in the class.

Use Your Resources

UGA has a plethora of resources available online. These resources are open to all students, faculty and administrators, and you are likely to gain valuable information from them. Some examples of widely used resources for UGA students include eLearning Commons, the academic calendar, Athena, the UGA student handbook, the UGA directory and much more.

Also, reach out to your professors as resources. Many professors have in-field experience and will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Talking to professors lets them know that you care and are eager to learn. They may even be of help when it comes to job leads, scholarships and other opportunities.

Graduate school is hard work, but making use of these resources and tips will help you become more successful on your path to graduation.

This article was adapted from Inside Higher Ed.