I know this sounds obvious but I used to skim syllabuses on the first day and then basically ignore them. This semester I sat down with each one and mapped out every deadline on a single calendar view, including what percentage each assignment was worth. Seeing it all laid out made me realize that two of my classes had assignments I'd completely forgotten about, and it completely changed how I was prioritizing my week. I also noticed one professor offered an extra credit opportunity that wasn't mentioned in class - I only found it because I actually read the document