Read More and Stress Less: Advice to New English Majors from English Graduates

• Take ASI 150 for English majors, and take first-year composition at UD – these will help you find your way in the program.
• Go to office hours, get to know your professors, and build relationships with them.  They can help you, and you will learn much more than you do in class!
• Ask questions in class! Be thoughtful!
• Take more English courses than required, because each class provides a lot of new information. 
• Take more of the upper-level, specialized courses – this is where you get into real depth and have a chance to hone your writing!
• Take some "weird" classes – things you might not think you’re any good at (like medieval literature, maybe, or business writing).
• Build your program around your real interests. Don't get so wrapped up in double-counting courses for multiple majors and minors that you can’t pursue your passions.
• Read more and stress less.
• Give your papers honest effort. Don't B.S. them.
• Don't be afraid to discover your own voice. Don't write for the professors; write for yourself!
• Join Sigma Tau Delta!
• Have an agenda for your own education.
• Get involved and go to class.
• Take classes from as many professors as possible to get feedback from a variety of professionals.
• Make sure you read all of the books, even if you don’t want to. A lot of them turn out to be better than you think, and you'll be glad you did, because you always get better grades!
• Do not get behind in your reading!
• Don't sell your books back – especially not the anthologies!  They will be your treasures.
• Don’t get locked into a future plan. Keep your options open as you choose your courses.
• Again: read more; stress less.