I have this ritual with school. I go through my semester, I do relatively well, I suddenly lose all motivation to be a productive human being, I fall behind, and then, like clockwork, I realize what I’ve done and scramble to fix it. And, by the title of this article, I’m sure you can guess what point of my semester we’re in now. Right now, we’re not going to investigate the reasoning behind why this cycle happens over and over again without fail or look into preventing it for next time. That would probably be pretty helpful in the long run, but we don’t have time for that! Right now, it’s time to course-correct and fix all the damage I’ve done.
Step 1: Look at the Syllabus
This is the easiest place to start. By doing this, I can create a list of every assignment from each of my classes. I’ll take note of upcoming due dates, point breakdowns for the classes, and anything else of note. It’s especially important to look for what classes have final exams, papers, or projects, that way I know what to expect for finals week. At this point, I’ll see what’s missing, what’s coming up, and what I need to handle as soon as possible.
Step 2: Reach Out to My Professors
This is probably the most important step in the entire process (aside from actually doing the missing work), especially in classes where I have missed work or some of the class meetings. The plan is to email my professors and let them know what’s been going on, ask them for any help, and see what my options are to get through the course.
Here’s the thing I’ve noticed about my professors: 99 percent of the time, they don’t want students to fail. This isn’t the case for everyone, but my professors tend to be willing to work with me if I reach out. Unfortunately, this requires reaching out and asking for help, which is the bane of my existence. Alas, it is a necessary evil. I remind myself that the worst they can say is that there’s nothing they can do, which wouldn’t put me in any worse of a situation than I already am in.
Step 3: Create a plan of Attack
Once I’ve spoken to my professors and I know what I can and need to fix, it’s time to get started. There are several methods for getting things done. I tend to be a fan of to-do lists and occasionally time blocking. It’s also super important to know what conditions I need to get things done in. For instance, I work much better when I have someone to body-double with, but that’s not always possible.
I also know that working outside my living space tends to help me, that I need to have access to a power source for my devices, and at times, I need something to incentivize my productivity. I really like working at Strozier because it checks most of those boxes and it’s open 24 hours Monday through Thursday and Saturday through Sunday, which is a pretty sweet deal to me. And because I know these things about myself, I can plan how I’m going to get everything done in a way that’s efficient and plays to my strengths while countering my weaknesses.
Step 4: Accountability
Accountability in getting things done is my biggest enemy. We’ve got a rivalry more intense than any college football team because, unfortunately, my intrinsic motivation is supremely lacking. Here are some options I’ve considered: telling my friends what I’m doing so they can yell at me if I don’t do what I need to, posting about it on YikYak and letting random strangers hold me accountable, or writing an article for Her Campus at FSU where I tell you all the steps I plan to take to get my school life together before the end of the semester. Guess which one I went with!
All things considered, having something to hold me accountable —whether it’s other people or reminders on my phone or the uncomfortable knowledge that I’ve told the internet what I’m doing, and it would be embarrassing to fail now — is important for me because there’s something to keep me on track to succeed.
Step 5: Congrats, We’re Done! For Now…
We did it! Yay! Well, in theory. I’ve only just started. But I’ve got about two weeks, and, once I’m done with everything, I get to reward myself, which is probably the best part. Did I hear someone say sweet treat? Was it me? Probably. There’s nothing I love more than getting myself a sweet treat.
Well, that’s all I’ve got. If you’re in a similar boat to me, good luck. We’ll both need it.
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