Winter break has come to a close and the second semester has begun! It is definitely not going to be easy, but what better way to start it than with a bang! Have no fear that second semester is here, below are some tips to get you starting the semester off right and on track!
1. Prepare Ahead of Time By…
Contacting your professors: Before the semester begins I recommend going through all of your upcoming classes and getting organized. First off, shoot your new professors an email. This shows that you have interest in their class and makes you look good as a student. It also gives you a good understanding of what they will be like in the classroom.
Getting your textbooks: After reviewing your schedule, see what textbooks you are going to need for each new class. There is a handy list of the textbooks you will need for each class on Marynet. After seeing what books you may need it helps to go to the Marymount info sharing group on Facebook, sharing your classes, the textbooks, and your professors. This way other students can provide advice for the classes you have ahead and if you actually need the assigned textbooks or not.Â
2. Get Up and Get Ready
In the first semester, I always seem to make the mistake of developing a not so great routine. I sleep in way to late, I don’t eat breakfast, and I use most of my free time to nap. Looking back I realize I could have made a lot better use of my time. This semester, try getting up a little bit earlier and actually get ready for the day. This will leave you with a good start and a more positive outlook on the day to come. You can look forward to that hot shower and morning coffee!
3. Eat Breakfast
If you’re like me and it’s hard to stomach or bring yourself to eat breakfast I recommend packing a granola bar or something small to snack on during your first class. This will keep you from feeling drained all morning until you can get to lunch. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and may even keep you from snacking on junk food later on in the day!
 4. Cat Naps:
If you want to nap, shorten them up. I know it’s not easy, but honestly the body only needs a ten minute cat nap to feel rejuvenated again, so why waste your free time napping when you could be doing other things. Go to the gym, get some homework done, but whatever you do don’t spend all of your time asleep. P.S.  I know this is a hard one, but try to develop a bedtime. It can be as late or early as you want, but keep it the same each night. This will keep your body from getting out of wack leaving you feeling like a slug all day.
5. Set a Budget:
The last piece of advice that I have is to give yourself a weekly budget. In the first semester, I always seem to blow through my money and usually it’s on pointless things or from eating out. College is already expensive enough so there is no use in spending countless amounts of money on unnecessary things when you could be saving it to pay off your future college debt. Limit yourself to around 20 dollars a week or less. What you don’t spend or end up spending, put away for the future. This will allow you to get a better hold of what it is like to live with good restrictions and how to save money.Â
So ladies, those are my pieces of advice for how to start your second semester off right. It’s not going to be easy, but it will ensure that you use your time better and get the most out of your college experience. I wish you all the best with your second semester. Good luck!