Welcome back Terps! New year means new semester. As we grind through these first few weeks of classes, remember to start off on a good foot and stay on top of everything. And I don’t just mean for the week…
Here are some tips to stay organized throughout the whole semester:
1. Use a planner. When you moved in freshman year and found the UMD Academic Success calendar in your desk drawer, you probably laughed it off, having never used one in high school. But, these things really help. Having so many classes and extra-curricular activities can be overwhelming but keeping it all in one place really works.
2. Set reminders in your phone. Smart phones do more than help you Facebook stalk people. Have a big test or paper coming up? Set a reminder a few days before in your phone so you don’t forget to work on it.
3. Don’t be that kid with one notebook for all their classes. Nuff said.
4. Follow the syllabus. They exist for a reason. Write down all the important dates in your trusty planner and check it at the beginning of each week. This is also where office hours and contact info will be.
5. Start a regular routine. Most classes have readings or homework due pretty regularly. Pick a time you’re free on a regular basis to knock these out so you don’t forget assignments.
6. Be proactive. Writing down when your paper is due will only go so far. It’s good to remind yourself in the weeks leading up to it that you need to get working. There’s nothing worse than forgetting about a 10-page paper the day before it’s due.
7. Go to office hours. Let me let you in on a little secret. Most people become teachers because they want to work closely with students. With huge class sizes, it’s not always easy to do. So, generally, professors love when you come to their office hours. Even if you don’t have a problem or question, just stop in to chat about an interesting topic. A little brown-nosing never hurt anyone…
8. Use the library. Maryland offers more than a great college culture and lots of Chipotle. The library system has so many resources most people don’t even know about. You can rent textbooks or copy pages from them, use databases, get help with papers, and so much more. Take advantage.
9. Prioritize. Studying for an exam worth 20% of your grade is probably more important than those Comm107 readings….or watching Game of Thrones.
10. Have fun. Somebody somewhere is paying for you to be here. Work hard, pay attention and learn stuff, but don’t forget to relax a bit. In 10 years, you’re not going to remember every class and all the cramming. You’ll remember the people that made it all worth it. Cheers to the weekend!