The last half of the Spring semester gets rough — the sun comes out more and more, people start throwing footballs on the quad after dark, warm weather brings out sundresses and iced coffee. Suddenly there are a lot of things that make focusing on that last policy brief a little harder. Â Most colleges have plenty of resources to help you stay focused — from academic support centers to classes on time management and even some specifically geared to help students “finish the semester strong” — but they don’t tell you how to stay involved. Here are a few tips to keep things interesting as they wrap up.
1. Make a New Friend
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If you’re like me, you probably haven’t talked to more than one or two people in most of your classes (or maybe you have, and I’m just crazy). Maybe the only words you’ve spoken to your workshop partner are, “Yeah I have coffee with me everyday, so?” At the end of the semester, you’re not the only one who’s starting to lose interest in everything happening indoors. Try interrogating (politely) someone in one of your classes, and you may be surprised by how cool they are. Complaining about how tired you are or how you have no idea what to do with your major in Creative Writing is generally a solid place to start. And you might make a new friend!
2. Get to Office Hours…no, really this time.
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During the second half of the Spring semester, students aren’t the only ones getting twitchy. Professors don’t even have the option to skip class on a beautiful sunny day, so take pity on them and go to office hours. Even if you’ve turned everything and don’t have any complaints or fears, it can be a great opportunity to network, learn about exciting scholarships and study abroad options, or hear from someone who shares your interests and made a career out of them. Office hours are great because it’s ok to get sidetracked…and a lot of good stories can come up!
3. Doodle Summer Plans
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Having one or several fun summer plans can help even the worst procrastinator buckle back down and finish the semester strong. Take a break from homework now and then to figure it out — undergrad is a great time to experiment with different jobs while you are still (more or less) free of responsibility! Whether its an internship, a coffee shop gig (who doesn’t want to learn incredible latte art?) or a road trip across the country, having something to look forward to can help you get through the tough final lap.
4. Exercise
If you’re having trouble concentrating in class with all the action outside, set a timer and go enjoy it for a while! With the nice weather starting to return, there’s nothing wrong with going on a run or even a walk around campus or through Rock Creek Park. If all the coffee you’ve consumed this semester has made you a little Type A, look at it this way: exercise has been proven to help boost brain activity AND even help you study and retain more information. So you’re really doing yourself a favor. Get outside!