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You’ve finally committed to your dream school, and now you’re thinking of all of the fun that you’re going to have as a new college student. That is, until you realize that you have classes to go to and homework to complete and parties to attend and food to eat and sleep to sleep... Coming into a new school year seems overwhelming and anxiety-ridden at the start, especially if you’re new to the process. Many students aren’t sure of what to do to avoid stacking up work, projects, and other assignments. To prevent the dreaded, “Why didn’t I start this sooner?!” speech with yourself over a 3am cup of extra caffeinated coffee, here are a few tips to making sure those all-nighters are a day of the past!
Get Organized
It’s wise in the beginning of a new school year or semester to get a visual of what your year is going to look like. Using a calendar, planner, or agenda is an easy way to do so.
By using these, you can mark the due date of each assignment and categorize it by class. Instead of shuffling through the syllabus from each class trying to figure out what is due, you can see everything one day at a time. So when your professors give you the schedule for each course, write down each assignment, including projects and papers, so you can see when big projects or assignments will be due. This also helps if you find that you have multiple projects due at the same time; you can plan ahead to avoid confusion and frustration.
You can also get a smaller calendar like the agendas sold from the YCP Bookstore, so that you can have all of your deadlines at your fingertips. Plus, one of the editions that they sell has monthly coupons for the bookstore and convenience store as well as schedules for sports teams and other activities around campus!
If you’re not into the idea of having to write everything down at once, do it by week! Get a whiteboard to hang in your bedroom or by your desk and have slots for each day of the week. Write down your assignments and due dates here and add the next day as each day goes on. This way, if you forgot about a project or paper, you still have a week to do it!
Do Something Every Day
Even though you may not have any hardcore assignments due the next day, make it a habit to work ahead, even if it’s just an assignment or two. It will save you some unneeded stress in the long run and you’ll be the one to say “Oh, I already finished that assignment” while others are doing it the night before. Try to take a half hour to an hour each day to focus on classes you know have upcoming projects or if you’re falling behind in a certain class. This will give you time to ask questions and get clear answers from your professors. Also, see if you can knock out smaller portions of projects to revise when you put the whole thing together. Even if it’s just an outline for a paper or presentation, it’s less work that you’ll have to do later on.
Make Friends With Your Professors
I’ve made friends with most of my professors in the first semester of college. Yes, I said it. My professors are my friends, and there’s a reason for it. Since we go to a small college (less than 5,000 undergraduate students), professors can easily see if you’re not in class or if you’re falling behind. However, if you go to a bigger school it’s usually not that easy. The first or second week of school, meet up with your professors once so that they see who you are. Not just as a student, but tell them what you’re aiming to get out of the class (other than a passing grade), and ask them for suggestions on how to handle the class or how to balance it with others. If professors see that you are making an effort, they are more likely to bump you at the end of the semester if you’re on the fence between two grades.
Also, they make great recommendations when applying to jobs and internships. But of course, they can help you understand the material if you’re struggling! No one likes sitting in class and thinking to yourself, “I have no idea what’s going on…” while the rest of the class is taking notes like it’s nothing. I’ve been there too, and it’s not fun. So do yourself a favor and make more friends… With your professors, that is.
Go to the Tutoring Center
This may seem like another no-brainer, only because you may be thinking about it in the wrong sense. Yes, if you are struggling with a class and your professor doesn’t help, go to the tutoring center at your school. Sometimes it’s a lot easier to hear the information in a different way and can help you tremendously. Some professors at York College give extra credit if you go to the tutoring center, which is also a plus!
However, many students only go to tutors if they don’t understand a subject. Another reason to go is if you’re on the fence when it comes to your grade. You may only need a few more points on a test to go from a 3.5 to a 4, but you can possibly get those extra points if you understand the material a little better and can get those questions. All in all, tutoring isn’t just about getting a better grade, it’s about improving yourself and becoming a well-rounded student.
These are just a few things that I do to manage my time while I’m in school. Leave a comment and let me know if these help or if you have another technique that you use to keep yourself on track!