The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of The University of Scranton.
Returning to school after a long winter break of leisure can be a very difficult thing to do! Every year, I get better at coping with the shift in my schedule that comes from being at home for break and then living back in on-campus living residences and beginning classes. My winter break usually does not include too much leisure time, as I work part-time as a cashier at a local grocery store near my parents’ home; whenever I am home, they schedule me for plenty of shifts, which helps me earn and save money while also keeping some type of routine without classes. However, whenever I clock out of my shifts, I am done for the night and don’t have to think about work until the next shift that I clock in for. At school, after classes end, the work is just beginning; I have more than enough to do and study before the next class period. It can be a hard shift to combat, but I have found a few tips to be particularly helpful in managing this transition period, setting me up for a productive semester where I can work to the best of my ability.
First, I find that reading through the syllabus for every class I’m taking and writing notes on important dates can go a long way in helping me plan and organize. In my planner, I can keep up with all my assignments, projects, and exam dates that are critical for me to plan for. This also helps me look at the upcoming semester from a faraway perspective so that I can be aware of dates or weeks where I might have multiple exams for different classes that I will have to split my time between. Next, I make sure to write out my schedule in a weekly template on my Notes app and put it as my iPad home and lock screen wallpapers. This way, each time I open my iPad, I am reminded of what each day of the week will generally look like and what to expect with how busy I will be on a given day of the week. Furthermore, I try to block out specific days of the week where I might not have as much going on or as many classes to attend to and jot them down as days I can fit in leisure activities such as working out or meeting with a friend for coffee. Finding times that I can allow for leisure is critical to help me have breaks throughout the week so that I am not burning myself out with work. Lastly, I try to make a note in my journal each week of how I felt about the previous week and how I handled the balancing act between work and leisure time. I am notorious for spending hours on end doing work without giving myself enough breaks, which can impede my ability to learn in the most efficient and effective manner. By keeping track of how I am doing, I can hold myself accountable to making time for fun things that will provide a nice break from academic-related activities.
These are just some tips that have guided me in planning and being organized at the beginning of the semester and accommodating the transition from break to classes and extracurriculars. I hope that everyone reading this remembers to make time for themselves this semester as it is one of the most important gifts that you can give to yourself!