<p>so i'm a freshman taking it next quarter and would appreciate any tips you guys can give because i'm kind of nervous about it, thank you.</p>
<p>Reading the books are optional, just read spark notes and you will have a better understanding of the deeper meanings in the texts than just reading the texts alone (you don’t have to reinvent the wheel and find the deeper meanings for yourself, someone already has). The only reason to read the books is for quotations in papers. Also, go to the TA before the paper is due and talk to them about what they think of the prompt. All my TA’s (hum 1-3) always had a preconceived notion of the “correct answer”, so before you get style points and a C- talk to your TA because their subjective views on the prompts will be making your grade. Conversely, if you come up with a really, really original idea and present really, really good arguments, you may get an A-. Getting an A is almost unheard of. Protip: pull lots of quotes, use big words</p>
<p>Don’t procrastinate. It’s worth your while to stay on top of the reading. However, if you find yourself really behind, wait until you get the essay prompt to start reading. That way you can pick an argument to go with, and grab some really good quotes along the way.</p>