Break big assignments into small chunks with their own deadlines. 'Write a 20-page paper' is paralyzing. 'Write one paragraph today' is doable. The hardest part of any project is starting, so make starting as small and easy as possible.

The library is full of free resources people forget about — encyclopedias, reference librarians who will literally do research for you, study guides. And the librarians are thrilled when someone actually asks for help. Don't be shy about it.

Don't pull all-nighters. The research is clear that sleep is when your brain actually consolidates what you learned. Studying until 3am and then taking a test exhausted is worse than studying less and sleeping. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.

Go to your professor's office hours. Seriously. Almost nobody does, and the ones who do get better grades and better recommendation letters. Professors WANT to help students who show up and care. It's the most underused resource in college.