With a new school year in full swing, getting into a good routine and breaking old habits from last semester is the key to setting yourself up for success this fall. The first few weeks of a semester can make or break you and it is best to get ahead before midterm season approaches. Whether you are in your first year of University, looking to enter your Rory Gilmore era, or looking for new ways to stay on track this semester, I have some tips for you!
- Set Goals and Develop a Study Plan
Setting goals for an upcoming semester is a great way to improve time management skills and help you stay motivated, even when a class starts to get difficult. These goals do not have to be solely academically focused either. Your social life, extracurriculars, work and other experiences are just as important to maintain balance and not burn out throughout the semester. Once you make personalized goals for yourself and reflect on how you will achieve them, you can then develop a study plan to help you stay efficient in all areas of your life.
- Create an Assignment and Exam Tracker
An assignment tracker goes hand in hand with developing a study plan as it is important to know what tasks you need to complete each week to stay on top of all your classes. There is no right or wrong way to make an assignment tracker, as long as it helps you remember key dates and helps you stay organized so as to not miss any deadlines. My favourite platform to make assignment trackers is Notion, as it allows me to make customizable spreadsheets with all my courses, and keep track of all assignments and due dates for every class. I also like to include the weighting of every assignment or exam in my spreadsheet, as well as the specific day of the week each evaluation is on. Notion has worked well for me throughout my undergrad and because I look at my syllabi and enter in any important dates at the beginning of a semester, I have never missed a deadline and can always plan my week out ahead of time.
- Take Advantage of Resources Available to You
I can’t stress this tip enough as a lot of times students pass up on valuable tools or resources that are available to them or are not doing enough research to know what is out there. Some useful resources include peer mentoring, tutoring, academic workshops, academic advising, mental health support, career development and experiential learning opportunities, as well as resource centres for a variety of subjects. Another helpful tip is to reach out to upper year students who have taken the same courses as you. Not only will you have more resources to look at and be able to get ahead if you have extra time early on in the semester, but you are also networking and getting to know people that may be headed on a similar career path. This also comes in handy when you are looking to join a new club or group on campus and helps you make connections with people with similar interests and goals.
- Figure out Your Best Study Spots
Another great way to start this semester on the right foot is to find designated study spots that will stay consistent throughout the year. Although it is fun to study at cafės and coffee shops from time to time, you may not always have enough time to do so. Having a clean and organized workspace will help you make the most of your time and hopefully help you to procrastinate less. I have various study spots for different purposes, and this helps me to maintain focus and allows me to spend more time getting work done and less time finding a quiet spot to study in. It’s important to figure out early on which environment you work best in, because while one person may prefer the quiet floor of the library, others may need to be in a busier area with lots of other students to stay motivated.
- Stay Consistent With Your Hobbies
Although I do prioritize my academics during this time of year, that is not to say I push my hobbies to the side and stop doing the things I love. As an avid gym goer and someone who loves spending time with family and friends, I do my best to make time for myself and the things I love while continuing to work hard in my classes and other commitments. This is going to help you enjoy the semester a lot more, and may actually improve your academic performance as you will not burn out (or at least not as much). I also love to get outdoors and go for walks or runs, and it is a great way to take a break between study periods. This semester I will be running my first official half marathon in October, so take this as your sign to spend time everyday doing something you love, as this is super important even on your busiest days.
- Prioritize Self Care
Last but not least is prioritizing self-care. Similar to my last tip, prioritizing both your mental and physical wellbeing is just as important as prioritizing your academics each semester. Getting enough sleep, finding ways to de-stress, nourishing your body and staying hydrated are small changes you can make in your daily life that will have major health benefits. When you are taking care of yourself and setting the right boundaries, you will have a more positive mindset on other aspects of your life. This will help make your school-life balance a lot more manageable and you may be more inclined to work hard and meet deadlines faster. It is okay not to be your best self everyday and some days you may not want to do any work at all, but always try to remind yourself of the goals you set at the beginning of the semester and be confident in your capabilities.
Wishing everyone a productive and enjoyable fall semester!