College-bound

freshmen can be in for a rude awakening if they

don't anticipate the major changes awaiting them

their first year away from the comforts of home

and the familiarity of high school.

"A

student's first term in college can be the one

that makes or breaks his or her college

experience. Getting off to a good start is the

best bet for succeeding in college,"

according to Ellie Warga, a college instructor

and president of College is Knowledge.

Her

solution is a unique seminar designed to help new

students navigate in the collegiate world. Warga

will offer her three-hour course Saturday, July

22, from 1-4 p.m. at the Kedron Aquatic Center in

Peachtree City. Cost of the session is $50 and

includes a handbook. To sign up, contact the

Peachtree City Recreation Department at

770-631-2542.

Warga

delves into the kind of knowledge that only

firsthand experience can provide: how to handle

three midterms in a week, dealing with a

difficult professor, roommate woes and setting

realistic expectations for the first year.

college freshman's newfound freedom coupled with

large classes, a more rigorous academic load and

whole new social scene can trigger anxiety in the

most mature student, Warga noted.

"There

is no course being offered in area high schools

to prepare students for college," she said.

With 40 percent of students losing their HOPE

scholarships after their first year, Warga sees

her course as a way to gear up for the freshman

year, emphasizing the need for students to learn

responsibility and accountability.

Some

of the tips she offers for the first-year student

include having an open-minded attitude toward

instructors and what they have to say.

"It's

okay for students to agree to disagree," she

says. "In the classroom, they should be

critical thinkers and develop other ways of

looking at things."

She

also advises students to talk with upperclassmen

about class selection. Warga says students should

strike a balance between classwork and leisure

activities. She also suggests getting in a study

group which provides some structure and feedback

for students.

Warga,

34, is a native of New York and has taught at

DeKalb College, DeVry Institute of Technology and

Shorter College. She has been featured on

"Peachtree Morning" and a number of

articles have appeared on metro area publications

about her course.

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