Advice For The Upcoming Semester

As spring semester begins, students have to get back into the swing of things after a much-needed holiday break. 

The days leading up to the new semester are always dreaded as students say goodbye to relaxing at home to preparing for coursework, work, extracurriculars and more. 

Here are some helpful tips I have gotten to get back into things for this upcoming semester.

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve gotten for staying organized is simple: get a planner. At the beginning of every semester, organize your planner and write down all deadlines available in the class syllabus.

This will help you grasp how quickly exams, papers and other assignments are coming up. It will also help you plan accordingly when you need to work on these assignments. 

Another tip is to keep your planner color-coded. That way you can see if you have work for any classes at a quick glance.  

Order books early, you don’t want to be caught in a tough spot when your professor expects you to have specific chapters read but you don’t have the book. 

Attend all your classes. It may seem like a good idea to skip a class or two to sleep or do something else, but it is essential to keep up with your work. If a professor requires attendance, it is one of the easiest ways to keep your grade up. 

Keep going to all the extracurriculars you signed up for. In the winter months, it can be easy to just skip activities because it is cold outside or you don’t feel like going. 

Make sure you maintain those connections and they can be a good break from classwork. 

When planning ahead, make a routine for each day. Make sure you know how much time it will take you to get to classes or what time you need to wake up to make sure you’re not sluggish during class. 

That may seem like a silly piece of advice but having a plan before the semester starts has helped me remain organized and know what to expect for the upcoming months. 

Don’t forget to sleep! It is essential for your health and sometimes is not prioritized when you have a tough workload. 

Even if you are busy or feel like you don’t have time, make time for yourself. Keep up with your skincare, exercise routine, eat three meals a day and maintain your personal life. 

Don’t forget about your friends. It can be easy to isolate yourself, especially if you’re busy with coursework. For me, friends and other social connections are the only way to get through college. 

Seeing your friends can be something as simple as watching a movie, meeting in the library to study or even walking to class together.

Make sure that you don’t disconnect yourself from people just because you are busy. 

Have a couple of good books available. If you got books for the holidays or have a list of books you want to read, have some of them available in case you need a break. 

Reading a good book is a great way to escape reality for a moment and can be a great way to wind down before bed.

Look for the good in every day. While college is hard and can sometimes feel lonely, especially during the cold winter months.

There is always a bright spot in every day. Whether it is a bird you saw on the walk to class, a friend you ran into or a simple smile from a stranger.

All of these pieces of advice that I’ve received have helped me maintain a life outside of school while still getting good grades. 

Preparing for an upcoming semester can be daunting and almost dreaded after a long break, but hopefully, these tips will help!