Hey y'all! Today I am sharing with you some tips on how to have a successful semester. Throughout college, I have learned some of these tips and tricks, and how they can beneficial to you.
1. Use a planner
Using a planner is super key in school. There are many planners out there that you can choose from to best fit your needs and style. I actually talked about planners and my favorite kind in a recent post. For me, I like to have planners where I can write out tasks and assignments on an individual day, while also having a monthly view for each month so that I can also write down important assignments. Honestly, I could not survive without a planner in college. I am a full time student taking 17 credits and also working on my campus so it can get overwhelming at times. Here is a picture of my planner that I am loving:
I like to plan out my month in advance with any major assignments that I have in my classes. I will go through all my syllabi and write them in. Another good thing to do in your planner is to color code your classes. Whether it is using different colored pens or different colored highlighters on top of regular black ink. I just find that using pens is easier and very colorful! I've also started using Google Calendar and OMG has it changed my life! Like I said earlier, I am taking 17 credits this semester (7 classes - 2 classes are 1 credit each) so keeping up with class times can be tricky. My two credit classes are only once a week on completely different days so it has been really confusing in the beginning to remember what day and time that I am supposed to go. The good thing about Google Calendar is that it is a "backup" for me in case I don't have my planner on me at that moment.
I can add my class times (also, I can keep them color coded so they match with the colors I use in my planner), due dates, my work schedule, and any other important events/assignments. I can easily access my Google calendar on my computer, my phone, and my Apple Watch. It's super convenient! Sometimes I might be at a friend's house or I might be out somewhere and forget if I have an assignment due so I can check my calendar without having to have my physical planner. I highly recommend doing both because if you're anything like me (aka OCD and forgetful of things), you won't have to worry about missing something.
2. Communicate with your professors
Some people don't realize how important it is to communicate with your professor. Now I'm not saying be a teacher's pet... You should communicate with your teacher though, and discuss any issues that you have in the class. Don't be so quiet and unwilling to speak with your professor about you not understanding any material. Most professors are willing to work with their students if they are having trouble because they want them to do well in their course. With doing that, you also can develop a better relationship with your professor so they know how to better help you with whatever it is that you're having trouble with.
3. Participate in class
Ok, you might be thinking "Mariah what the heck? Who wants to participate in class?".. I know, I know. I sometimes hate speaking out loud in front of the whole class, especially if I'm unsure if I'm blurting out the right answer or not. Participating is class is so important though because it gives you an opportunity to stay engaged in the lecture and also show your professor that you are trying in their class. This goes with what I said about communicating with your professor. When they see that you're trying and not just coming to class and falling asleep, or staring at your computer all class, they will remember you more and know that you are participating.
4. Make a class friend/study group
Going into class and talking to people who you don't know can be kind of intimidating for some people, but making a friend in class is beneficial. Not only are you making a new friend, but you also have someone that you know from class that you can talk about any assignments with. Within my major, I have had classes with some of the same people over again because we are all on the same track with our courses. I am more familiar with some people than others, but I still try and get to know at least one person in all of my classes. You could also make a study group with some people in your classes. Most people are interested in having a group of people to study or do work with.
5. Use your time wisely
I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. I have been horrible at procrastination. Everyone is guilty of procrastinating at some point (don't lie to yourself..) Just don't let procrastination take over your life because this will only cause you to be stressed out and make you rush through your assignments to get it in before 11:59pm. I don't know about you, but when I procrastinate doing an assignment, especially a big one, my whole day just goes out of whack because I am so thrown off from rushing and doing something last minute.
If you know that you have some breaks in between your classes, use that time to eat a snack and work on a little assignment. Even if you have a big assignment, you can work on little bits at a time during your breaks. Don't use your two-hour break to sleep and scroll through social media; you will regret it later. At work, I am able to be on the computer at the desk so I will sometimes work on my assignments when we are not so busy. Another good thing to do is to schedule some study time into your day. I don't normally schedule study time into my day (I mean on pen and paper) because I just go home and do what I need to do. I think that I might start scheduling a time block in my planner of when I need to study or do work.
When I am studying or doing work, I like to sometimes set a timer on my phone for about 25 minutes, with a 5-minute break. I also turn my phone on do not disturb so my phone doesn't go off from notifications. This helps me focus on what I need to do and I don't have to worry about checking the time. I will just wait for the timer to let me know when to stop and then I'll take my 5-minute break.
6. Get some rest
If you're not getting enough rest, your body will definitely be able to tell. Getting eight hours of sleep is honestly not always realistic when you're in school. You spend basically half the day, sometimes longer, in class or working. Sometimes I am on campus from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm, so I don't usually get home until around 6:30 pm. Those days are the longest and I just want to come home and curl up in bed, BUT I can't always do that because I have work to do. If you have to, take a quick 30 or 45-minute nap just to rest yourself. After that, get up and do your work so you can knock that out and go to bed after you finish. If you push off doing what you need to do, you're only robbing yourself of sleep. In middle school and high school, I would stay up until like 1:00 am and sometimes later. Now that I am in college and working at the same time, sleep is my BFF (am I right?)
College can be hectic, especially with the many things we have to do, but make sure that you are making enough time for rest.
7. Hang out with friends
College shouldn't be all about going to class and doing work. You should make time for extracurricular activities and hanging out with your friends. Once you finish your work, you can reward yourself with going to get some ice cream or seeing a movie with your friends. It is good to step away from all the studying and work that comes along with college. Enjoy the time you have!
8. Make time for yourself
Making time for yourself is another important thing to do in college. You can choose a night out of the week to just relax, do a face mask, catch up on your favorite show, make time for your hobby, etc. When I make time for myself, I like to light a candle and lay down and relax. I will also sometimes do an oil treatment with coconut oil in my hair and lay around while I let that sit. I am killing two birds with one stone because I can get my hair nice and moisturized and also relax while it soaks in.
What are some things that you find important to do in college?
