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Starting the Spring Semester Right

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Princeton chapter.

Intersession is over and it’s time to hit the books again, Princetoniennes. In order to do even better this semester, check out these tips on how to better prepare for what the spring has in store!

Shop some classes

If you’re not sure whether to enroll in that graduate seminar or extra language class, don’t be afraid to test them out. Attending the majority of your possibilities in the first two weeks should give you a good idea not only of how the class will be organized, but also whether or not you will like the professor’s teaching style. Just remember to decide before the add/drop deadline (this year on February 14)!

Plan your semester

Print out a copy of the McGraw Center’s semester-on-a-page calendar. It already has all the important dates marked on it, including midterms and finals weeks. You can plan out your semester by looking at your class syllabi and marking dates for presentations and papers. While you’re at it, figure out just how much work you’re going to have for Dean’s Date and finals; while the finals schedule hasn’t been released yet, you can already see if you’ll have to sit for an exam or turn in a Dean’s Date paper (or, god forbid, both). 

In addition to planning out your academics, don’t forget to schedule and balance your extra curriculars. On the same calendar, you can mark dates of rehearsals, performances, or important meetings for the clubs and groups you’re part of. This will let you let you put everything into perspective and allow you to better prepare for tough weeks. Plus, you don’t want to get behind on assignments just yet!

Get into a routine

If you’re one of the many who made a New Year’s resolution to get healthier, there’s no better time to (re)start than the new semester! Take the time early on to establish good routines that will carry you through the end of the year. This includes exercising, eating healthy, and sleeping adequately. The first few weeks of class should be the least stressful, and it only takes 21 days to create a habit. So why not start off the semester in the best way possible?

 

If you have any comments or questions, feel free to email me at kbushko@. Good luck with the spring semester, Princetoniennes!

Katrina is a philosophy major at Princeton University with minors in Arabic and Near Eastern Studies. She recently studied abroad at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco, but is back and ready to rock her senior year! Apart from academic advising, she's really into foreign relations, so check out her writing over at International Relations Online and the Princeton Progressive Nation.
Ajibike Lapite is a member of Princeton University’s Class of 2014. When not studying, Ajibike tutors at the Young Scholar’s Institute in Trenton, NJ; serves as the President  of the Princeton Premedical Society; is the Editor-in-Chief of Her Campus Princeton; currently holds the title of Most Stylish Undergraduate (from Stylitics). Ajibike is a  molecular biology major with a certificate in global health & policy. She enjoys consumption of vanilla ice cream and sweet tea, watching games of criquet, exploring libraries, lusting after Blair Waldorf’s wardrobe, watching far too much television, editing her novel, staying watch at the mailbox, playing tennis and golf in imitation of the pros, hanging out with the best friends she’s ever had, baking cookies that aren’t always awesome, being Novak Djokovic’s fan girl, and sleeping—whenever and wherever she can.