I certainly would not say that I am an expert on having my life together, but after one year at Duke I think I’ve got some experience on preparing for a successful semester.
1. Set up your room as soon as possible.
It’s so hard to feel settled into a routine when your room is still in boxes. Take just 30 minutes each day for a week to get your room in working order and it will become so much easier to focus on your work, extra-curriculars, and social life if you aren’t stressing that your room looks like a bomb went off in it.
2. Don’t stretch yourself too thin.
At the beginning of the semester, it’s so easy to overcommit. You promise to get lunch with everyone, decide to challenge yourself in your classes, and of course you don’t wanna miss out on every opportunity to go out. Remember that your friends and Shooters aren’t going anywhere. You have all semester to complete your mile-long goals list.
3. Set good habits from the start.
I know that if I start going to the gym and eating well at the beginning of the semester, I am so much more likely to stick to that plan and not end up relying on Dominos for dinner. Also, if I don’t start writing assignments in a planner early on, I can end up forgetting about deadlines later in the semester. Getting into a routine, no matter what that looks like for you, early in the semester will make your life so much easier once midterms hit.
4. Cut yourself some slack.
As much as you can plan and be organized, life can get messy and hard sometimes. Acknowledging and accepting that things won’t always be perfect and easy can feel like you aren’t living up to the “Duke standard.” Everyone has rough days, even those who may appear to be perfect. Don’t beat yourself up for watching more Netflix than you maybe should or indulging way too much on a post Shooters pizza run. It happens to the best of us.