Jefferson Scholars Freshman Resources

Fall 2025

Transitioning to life at UT

- Create schedules that work for you and stick to them.

- Make time to study/work and find “accountability buddies.”

- Take breaks from academics!

-Prioritize sleep, and not just on the weekends.

-Stay hydrated and EAT (snacks are key for days when you have back-to-back classes).

-Know that it’s normal to feel homesick.

-Explore student orgs!

-Communicate with your professors.

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- Talk to people in your classes :)

- Find affordable food options, and easy meals.

- Utilize campus resources.

- SHOWER.

-And do LAUNDRY (it snowballs).

-Drop classes if you are overwhelmed: you can’t excel academically if you struggling emotionally or mentally.

-Avoid walking alone late at night.

-Always watch your drink at parties & events.

-Pace yourself, this is a big change!

UT Health Resources

• Getting sick in the Fall is SUPER common, and flu is already prevalent (as in a new wave of COVID, blegh).
• UT University Health Services offers student appointments (and most are $10) and a FREE nurse line.
• Check out Longhorn Wellness for more quick links to health resources!

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• It’s also REALLY normal to struggle emotionally/mentally as you transition to college life.
• UT Counseling & Mental Health Center is an amazing resource, with emergency support, free counseling groups, resources for common student concerns, and free wellness apps.
• CMHC can also connect you with the CARE counselors specific to your college: these counselors can do 1-on-1 counseling, help you get accommodations thru D&A, or even help you find a long-term mental health provider.

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• Lastly, if you are experiencing a health/personal crisis, SES is a confidential resource to support you immediately.

Academic Resources at UT

• Switching to collegiate academics can be a big transition and the quality of work many UT professors expect is VERY different than high school.

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• But there are great resources at UT that I encourage you to utilize early and often (not just when you need them!).

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• Sanger Learning Center is your one-stop for academic support: they provide workshops and resources on study skills and strategies, learning specialists, peer academic coaching and drop-in and one-on-one tutoring in a variety of different UT courses.

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• The University Writing Center offers appointments to all students to support any writing project, at any point in the process. I also can’t emphasize enough the importance of process in collegiate papers! Revision and proper editing is VITAL to good work.

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Communication is Key at UT

It can feel daunting to communicate with your professors and academic advisors your freshman year, but it can make all the difference in your successful degree completion. The objective of academic advisors is literally student success!

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• Contact your professor/TA sooner rather than later if you are struggling! Many are willing to offer extensions, etc. if you are proactive and polite.

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• Find out when office hours are and GO TO THEM. Build meaningful relationships with your professors.

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• Academic advisors will not contact you/remind you to make appointments. Take initiative and schedule meetings with them when you have questions, are struggling (academically or social-emotionally). Don’t wait until registration season to meet with them or email them. And don’t be late-many advisors have a ten minute grace period and then will close the appointment.

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Communication is Key at UT-CONT.

• Do follow good email etiquette-it makes a difference!

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• Do NOT treat an email exchange with a professor or advisor like a text!

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• BE direct but formal and utilize punctuation. Proof your emails before sending them.

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• Include a subject line, address your professor or advisor by their preferred name (for many advisors, first name is fine but no abbreviations or just “hey”).

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• Be sure to sign the email with your first & last name, EID and if it is to your TA or professor, include the class you are in! Many professors have multiple classes, MANY students, and students with the same first name.

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• DO wait at least one business day for a response before sending a follow up email. You can include “time sensitive” in the title, but while some professors and advisors respond at any time, many only respond during business hours.

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Get Involved!

• Joining a student org is a great way to connect with like-minded students and find community your freshman year. Jefferson Scholars is just that-huzzah!

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• Hornslink is a great site for all student orgs, and many are tabling for the first month on Speedway.

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• Affinity Groups on-campus are another way to find community with students who share similar backgrounds/culture with you!

Fall dates & deadlines

• October 1st: Spring course schedule has been published, Registration Information Sheets Available: Check your holds and registration time & date
• October 16th: Jefferson Scholars Registration Luncheon 12:30-2pm
• November 3rd-November 15th: Spring registration (unless you have priority status, freshmen will be the last few days)
• November 19th: Mid-semester deadline, last day to withdraw for semester, use a Q-drop to drop a class (you have 6), or change a class to Pass/Fail
• December 8th: Last class day, last day to use your One Time Exemption (OTE) by 5pm

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Additional Resources

Finances

Off-Campus Housing (start looking soon!)

Texas Global/Education Abroad: It’s never to early to explore (check out RILA!)

COLA Career Services: Internships, Career courses and Fairs

COLA Student Resources Webpage

Campus Nap Map!

Campus Safety Resources

‘Guide to Being Not Rich at UT’

If you need additional resources, feel free to contact your major academic advisor or me at cassadie.charlesworth@austin.utexas.edu and I can help direct you to the correct campus resource.