Regardless of whether they're studying engineering or soicology, college students will most likely respond with horror if asked about their freshman calculus experience. They'll no doubt conjure for you images of bug-eyed, caffeine-addled students pulling all-nighters to cram for a midterm.

What if there were a way to pass calculus without having to resort to such desperate measures? Well, if you set about studies in a disciplined, consistent manner, midnight oil need not necessarily burn, nor your mental state necessarily disappear.

If you are indeed intent on making a strong showing in your calculus class without much blood, sweat, tears, or lost sleep, you need only keep a few strategies in mind. Adherence to these strategies can do a lot to set you on the road to arithmetic success.

To get a good grade in calculus, you must:

• Attend every scheduled calculus course lecture, which will allow you to absorb material immediately and thus spare you hours of study later;
• Pay close attention to the instructor as he or she lectures, making a point of grasping as best you can the material he or she presents;
• Take precise and detailed notes during lecture, making a point to record the steps the instructor walks the class through to solve a problem;
• Put any questions you may have about material and problem solutions to your instructor, either in class or during his or her office hours;
• Force yourself to read the calculus textbook assigned for the course, paying special attention to the solutions to sample problems;
• Complete all assigned homework problems, and any additional practice problems you come across in your textbook;

These 6 tips can bring you a long way toward success in your calculus course. All you need is a steadfast resolve and a sensible approach. Though you might find calculus deadly boring, remember that it is an essential part of so much in your life that you need and enjoy. After all, without calculus, there'd be no jet planes.