Last semester didn’t go as great as you expected, or you want to do better? Here are five tips that can get your semester off to a great start!
New Year, New Planner
If you don’t have one already, get a planner! Find one that suits you best because it will become your best friend whether you realize it or not. Having a planner is a great way to organize your week and keep daily reminders so you won’t forget a thing!
Go to Class
This might sound silly, but some people barely make it to class on the first day of the semester. It’s important to go to class, at least for the first couple of weeks, to truly understand how the class works and what your professor expects from you. After that, (unless it’s a class that takes attendance) you can decide if you’re better off teaching yourself the material or if being in the classroom is a better fit for you.
If you do better teaching yourself the material, read this tip below:
Deciding to teach yourself the material for a class isn’t always a bad idea. Some people have a better understanding when they can process new information on their own. To make sure you’re successful, and not just skipping class because you feel like it’s pointless, set up a time where you can spend the same amount of time you would if you were in the classroom, to go over any new information for the class. Feel free to spend more time going over the material, but try not to spend any less time than you would if you went to class. (Ex: If your class is 50 minutes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, spend at least 50 minutes going over new material on those days.)
Don’t Cram for Exams
This is possibly the hardest thing NOT to do, but anything is possible, right? To prevent cramming as much as possible, make a note (in your new planner, of course) of when you have tests well in advance! If you are using a planner, at the end of each week, write how many days or weeks you have left until the exam(s), and do this also in advance, so it won’t slip your mind. Finally, when the week of your exam(s) arrives, write down on each day what you plan to cover up until the day of the exam(s). If you don’t have a planner, you can keep track of all your exams on a whiteboard, your laptop, or even your cell phone!
**BONUS TIP: When you’re setting up all that you need to study before your exam, try to leave the day before the exam to review anything you still don’t understand or want to look over more. Also, if you know you’ll need more than a week to review the material, make a schedule that best suits you!
Don’t Be Afraid to Get Help!
Sometimes a professor can’t give you all the help you need, and their teacher assistant’s office hours may not work with your schedule. Find resources on your campus that can help you with what you don’t understand. You can also meet with people from your class to see if they can help you better understand the topic. Lastly, don’t be afraid to email your professor to see if they know of any helpful tools!
Study Break-it-up
Of course studying is important, and you’re in college to get an education, BUT that doesn’t mean you should abandon your mental and physical health! Be sure to make time for yourself, whether that means doing some retail therapy, grabbing a bite to eat, going to work out, or spending a Saturday night out with friends, it is necessary! Just be sure to use your time wisely, it’s okay to take a break every once in a while.
Have a wonderful and successful semester!