Now that spring break is over and we’re back at school, the final month of classes can seem like it’s going to last forever. When all you can think about is a countdown until when summer finally hits, it’s all too easy to forget about the school work that’s been piling up. Without further ado, here’s 4 tips on how to survive the rest of this semester!
1. Plan Ahead.
I know, I know that you’ve been told this a million times but believe me, it really pays off to have a schedule when you have 4 tests in 3 days and start to feel overwhelmed. Sit down and pull out your planner (if you’re more of a paper-and-pen kinda gal) or your phone (if electronic reminders are more your thing) and make a note of all your tests and homework assignments with pre-assigned due dates. Make sure to put a second reminder a couple days ahead of time, just to give yourself a heads up so you’re not taken by surprise the day its due!
2. Make Time for Homework.
Most teachers pre-assign textbook readings or homework assignments, which makes it pretty easy to do work ahead of time. If there’s a day of the week where you only have 1 or 2 classes, or if you’re lucky and have no classes, make it your homework day! While the prospect of giving up an entire day for work sounds awful, it definitely reduces your chances of being blindsided by a last-minute assignment or feeling completely unprepared for a test.
3. Get Rid of Distractions.
By getting rid of distractions, I mean turning on your phone’s do-not-disturb setting and putting it away in your bag. If you use the app PocketPoints you can earn points, as long as you’re on campus, that can be redeemed for monetary rewards as long as your phone remains locked! If you’re like me and self control isn’t necessarily your thing and you get easily distracted, there are plenty of nifty programs you can download on your phone or laptop to block yourself from going to sites like Instagram or Facebook. A great option for this that works for iOS, Macs, and Androids is Freedom. There are also a handful of extensions that work for the web such as StayFocused for Chrome.
4. Make Some Time for Fun.
Don’t be focused all on work! While it is the final stretch of academics, if you focus solely on work, it’s going to eventually lead to an intellectual burn out just before finals. Take some time off to do whatever makes you happy, whether it’s having a relaxing movie night, going out to a party, or exploring a nearby town with friends. It’s always important to make sure you give yourself time to rejuvenate.