Take very good lecture notes, and do not miss a single class. Sometimes, entire mid-term exam questions pull from an obscure point in one lecture. Sometimes,

Take very good lecture notes, and do not miss a single class. Sometimes, entire mid-term exam questions pull from an obscure point in one lecture. Sometimes, the recommended textbook will just suck. Sometimes, you will need reference material a year from now. Good notes will save you. Overwhelming as it may already be, treat all assignments as the bare minimum. Professors do not babysit, they do not care if you do the 5 problems they suggested. Do 20 problems with your friends, and ask questions. Yes, you won't have as much time for fun, but you will be much happier when you see exam questions that you can fly through.