College hacks?

My first week of college went by like a breeze and it was interesting. No professor was like the next and each had their own unique personalities. Some I agreed with more than others but all in all it looks like a impacted semester. For starters, there will be a lot of writing in all my classes, even my dance class! A lot of reading and of course, exams, quizzes, and homework.
What I did not expect was to indulged almost immediately in my English class and excited for my lab class. Although I put on a disgusted face for the 3 hour long lab, yet, if this is the major I want to graduate in, then the lab is the perfect place to discover my likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses. Already in my English class I was assigned reading that I began almost as soon as I exited the classroom. The reading were unexpected but there was an article my teacher had us read that I really enjoyed called: The Importance of Writing Badly by Bruce Ballenger. In this article he describes how students dread writing because they've always been reprimanded for horrible grammar and "awkward" sentences. Students become insecure of their writing abilities and have been molded to take hours and hours trying to write and perfect their essays for a teacher that will cover it in red ink. Ballenger focuses on the idea of allowing students to discover their own mind and have them think for themselves. In doing so, students will be able to write clear and concise reports on whatever topic is given. That's a practical idea and should be performed by several professors and teachers that have told me I suck.
On a different note, a gentleman came into work today and saw me working on my homework. He asked if I was in college and if he ever told me his method of studying. What he told me is something that I hope many college students read that I considered extremely helpful. Take 30 minutes every night to read ahead and familiarize yourself with the material for the next class lesson. By doing so, you will go into class with questions that will hopefully be answered and is more like review to understand the material thoroughly. Also, if any exam or quiz is approaching, take about an hour a day to study to avoid last minute cramming and thorough studying of all the lessons and notes without having skipped over or missed parts of the material. Lastly, do not be afraid to ask questions or meet with your professor because when the professor sees how much effort you're putting into the class, it wont go unrecognized. I consider all this a kind of college hack because everything is not to go against you or make your life miserable, instead, it's to help you get ahead without stressing you out. These few techniques will most likely get you farther than you think.