Now that the break is over and school is back in full force; it can be very overwhelming to adjust your summer routine to your student routine. I am no expert but this is my 4th year of university which has led me to learn a thing or two about establishing a routine to make school manageable. I have created a list of my go-to strategies upon entering a new semester.
1. make a schedule
This probably seems fairly obvious but it is seriously life-changing. Making a schedule of all your classes, readings, and exams helps keep you on track and up to speed on your academic obligations and avoid being surprised by or missing important deadlines. This includes creating a daily list of everything you wish to achieve that day to make sure you achieve what you intended for the day and being able to cross things off a list feels pretty great. This includes adjusting your sleep schedule. Sleep is important, try to avoid frequent all-nighters and perhaps try going to sleep at an earlier time or waking up a bit earlier to tackle your work.
2. figure out your priorities
Everyone has different goals; it is important to take the time to realize what you need and wish to achieve. The key is to figure out what your specific goals are so that you can actively work toward them. It can be overwhelming focusing on what everyone else is doing and you may feel like you are behind but remember everyone is focusing on different things and working towards different results. The great thing is that there is no one right answer. As you move along in your academic journey think of the topics that you enjoy and may want to pursue more education in or start looking at potential careers that allow you to apply your passion. School can be very demanding and giving 100% to every single class may not be realistic at times; the best approach is to take a second to think about what it is you want to achieve and what can help you achieve it.
3. make time for yourself
It can be easy to start feeling burnt out, it is important to make sure that you are making time for the things you enjoy outside of school. Your life outside of being a student is equally as important. The key is to find the balance between school and your social life. One way you could do this is to block off a specific time in your schedule for an activity that brings you happiness to ensure you actually get around to it. This may be reading, going out, working out or perhaps having a night in to relax. In order to achieve the results you want in your studies you have to take care of yourself and be able to put self-care first when needed. There is nothing wrong with taking a break to rest and recharge in order to be able to put your best foot forward in your studies.
Finding a routine can be tricky but there is something out there that works for you. School is harder getting into a routine can avoid making it more difficult than it needs to be. Having a routine can help you achieve your goals and ease some of the academic pressure.