Living in Chicago is expensive, especially with the high DePaul tuiton, so most students have to result to a job to survive. While it can be difficult juggling school and work, both benefit your success in the future. “Right now I have three jobs. All of these jobs have helped me save more money, but they definitely stress me out with school,” senior Nyah Lyn said. “So I would advise anyone seeking a job to make sure they are on top of their schoolwork before looking for any other job.”

While this is a tip that has been repeated since middle school days, it is especially pertinent throughout college. As we head into the new year and new quarter, workload may be especially light. This is the perfect window to get started on assignments or readings due in the future. “What I usually do is start off focused,” junior Victoria Williamson said. “Although professors are usually easy-going for the first few assignments, it helps to start readings as soon as possible. Preparation and anticipation is key.”

The ability to save money can solve more than half of the college struggle. If you have a job, this is especially important. Getting your paycheck could easily result in a quick spending spree. While this is expected and normal for the very first paycheck, try and build up a realistic budget. “The top apps I usually use to save my money are called Digit and Chime. They basically save your change or a percentage of every amount you spend,” junior Victoria Williamson said. “Although I’m a shopaholic, these apps have really narrowed down my habits.”

The benefit of having two bustling and diverse campuses is the ability to get involved within the community. There are various internship and job fairs at DePaul that encourage all students to participate. Whether you are a freshman or junior, all of the companies that come to DePaul seek student involvement. Taking advantage of these events could really jump start your future career. “I started at DePaul with simple retail and restaurant jobs, but after attending various on campus networking events I had all sorts of internship opportunities,” junior Samantha Raven said. “It’s obviously not easy but the sooner you start reaching out to people, the better your chances are of succeeding.”

This is probably the first piece of advice any college student is told as soon as they begin classes. Professors are here to help you learn, so most of the time they are more than willing to talk to you, especially during allocated office hours. “Asking questions is not a crime,” professor Ogenga Ottunnu said. “Students are always hesitant to talk to professors when they have questions, I don’t understand why. We are paid to help you succeed. And the more you succeed, the higher we are paid.”

While it’s easy to drift off during an hour or three hour lecture, jotting down important information can determine your final exam preparation. Most professors do not project elaborate explanations within their PowerPoints, and only you know what you need a little extra explanation for. “I started off freshmen year with just one notebook sectioned out for all of my classes. This was efficient, but I also used to stuff papers and handouts into this one notebook,” senior Nyah Lyn said. ”What helped me was having another folder for handouts. I also had another notebook for all the details pertaining to my final or midterm. So I would just study those when finals were coming up.”