College is stressful, especially when balancing classes, extracurriculars, and work. I know that is true for me with a digital media major and art minor, when all of my classes are hands-on projects and no exams, as well as club responsibilities, my energy gets drained so quickly. However, I have been able to stay focused and not lose my mind with these tips. They may seem like your ordinary “back-to-school” advice but with a twist!
Make your due dates for assignments a day early!
As a massive procrastinator, I tend to leave homework and club assignments for the last minute, not giving me time to breathe when I finally get to do them. Personally, the stress from the limited time to work on it helps me produce better content, but it’s for sure not good for me mentally. Telling myself that my project for Web Design is due on Wednesday and not on Thursday -its actual due date- gives me more time to work on it and if I get stressed or hit a mental block, I don’t have that much to do on the day that it is due.
Get a PHYSICAL Planner
Getting a planner was one of my favorite things to do when I had to go back-to-school shopping when I was younger. Now, in this digital age, you tend to either note things down in the Notes app, put a mental note of it, or see it every time you open up Canvas. However, writing things down on a physical planner helps you remember what’s going on that day and what are your daily tasks. One planner I highly recommend is the Hobonichi Techo Weeks notebook. It is compact and light, making it easy to carry in your bag or purse. They have both a monthly and weekly overview, with enough space to write down your weekly tasks, as well as being able to jot things down in their empty grid spaces in the back.
Also, if you are crafty like I am, invest in some fun stickers and washi tape and dedicate an hour or two at the end of the day to decorating your planner. Not only is it relaxing, but you get to write down an overview of the next week, helping you remember things more as you visually see them.
Create boundaries for yourself!
School can get chaotic, and your self-care and health are the first to go when midterm season starts. You tend to worry about failing a class or messing up on assignments. As someone who had a helicopter mom over their grades in middle school, to the point where I would cry when I got any grades lower than a B+, my energy and excitement for the class were so low to the point that I wasn’t even focused on learning. Thankfully, high-school me set boundaries with myself that I still follow to this day. The big one is that I have to stop studying or working on assignments past midnight. It didn’t matter that I had an exam or project due the next day, I would just go to sleep even if I didn’t finish my HW. I brought this boundary to college and guess what, I still passed all my classes with good grades.
Spring 2024 may have started on an icy path (for most of the US) but that doesn’t mean that we can’t end it on a good note! Good luck to all of you guys!