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A month into Spring Semester and suddenly all of those due dates that seemed like forever away during syllabus week are catching up on you. The stress of deadlines, exams, and balancing your new healthy lifestyle preparing for Spring Break is starting to get to you, but don’t freak out! Keep in mind we still have so much of the semester ahead of us and with the anticipation of Spring Break, SXSW, and RoundUp this is the perfect time to get organized and evaluate your semester’s game plan.
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1.    Write out every due date!
In the beginning of the semester you might have had a planner that you promised yourself you would plan your life in but since then maybe your classes and schedules have changed. Take an hour to go through your syllabuses and write out every little deadline including your work schedule, or other important events so that you can look at your weeks and figure out which ones are going to be the killers. This way you don’t land into a situation where it’s Monday and you have a billion things to do this week that you could have gotten started on this past weekend.
2.    Meal Prep
I’m not saying you need to make 21 meals on Sunday for the week but let’s face it some nights you just have no motivation to cook yourself an adult protein, veggies, complex carb meal. There is nothing wrong with having those lazy nights even if they are a few nights in a row! But instead of making an online order for Dominos in between your Netflix binge, have something prepared that you could easily pop in the microwave. My personal recommendation is to buy your supplies on Sunday, get yourself hyped with some coffee and cook about 3-5 dinners depending on how busy you think you’ll be during the week. Meal prepping may seem like a chore to some people but if you cook while watching your favorite TV show or blasting your favorite playlist (8Tracks.com has the best!) the time goes by a lot faster.
3.    Give yourself a bedtime
Do you ever find that you actually get your work done when you have a deadline? Well, that’s procrastination at its best! Create your own deadline by telling yourself you have to go to sleep at a certain time; it will make yourself feel like you have to get everything done by then which will motivate you. This helps you from staying up until 3 am for no reason finishing homework you could have easily done at 8pm. Plus, giving yourself a great night’s sleep will improve your overall attitude.
4.    Spring Clean before Spring Hits
Although the weather has suggested that Austin is already in spring, many people are stuck in their winter ways. I have found the best way to feel like I am having a fresh start is to clean my entire room. I am not just talking about organizing my desk and folding my clothes, I’m talking about taking out the Windex and dusting, sanitizing, and vacuuming your life together. Giving your room a deep clean will not only make you feel super productive but the clean environment will declutter your mind.
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Remember, it doesn’t have to be January 1st to start off new. Resolutions and goals can be made at any point of the week or day. Get your life back together this semester by trying these tips out!