Whether you’re reading this from a beach or in your bed at home, most of us are on spring break or have just recently experienced it. Although we’ve all enjoyed our week or so to bum out, big exams and finals will be creeping around the corner before we know it. As the semester progresses and we are tempted with more leisurely breaks, it can become increasingly difficult to stay academically motivated. Finishing out the year strong when you’re feeling sluggish seems overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Let these 5 simple tweaks to your life be your guide to your schoolgirl lock-in.
1. Clean Space, Clear Mind
I always say that the space around you is a reflection of your mind. So, a cluttered room equals a cluttered mind. To be completely honest, I tend to feel unproductive to a much greater extent when my space is unorganized; It feels like the stage is already set to be lazy. It sounds so insignificant, but putting away laundry and fully making your bed can make all the difference. No one is asking you to become Cinderella, but make sure your space is orderly.
Once you have a basic clean down, then you can start glamorizing being neat. Adjust the lighting, open a window, or light a candle. Since the weather is becoming more spring-like, go out and buy yourself some flowers or a cute spring decoration. These activities, though small, encourage you to personally love your space and what you do in them; Enjoying where you work makes all the difference.
Another way to help your environment help you is to reorganize. Sometimes, places can become mundane after staying stagnant for so long. This can tend to project a feeling of laziness or sluggishness. Rearranging and restructuring your space is a great way to help yourself out of a motivational lull and inspire you to do more work. It’s surprising how much changing things around entices you to lock in.
2. Don’t Be a Hoarder
Now that we’ve tackled the majority of the year, it is more than safe to say that an abundance of papers and files have been accumulated at this point. Again, I will preach, a cluttered environment means a cluttered mind. I don’t know about everyone else, but personally, I can’t focus or study when I am constantly sifting through material trying to find specific bits of information.
So, go through those folders! Throw out the notes from your 8 am Calculus class last semester that you will most likely never reference in your life again. It’s okay, I can almost promise your professor won’t know. Group together current relevant material into different folders, or compartmentalize them based on the class and unit. It is worlds easier to study when you actually know where to look for the answers.
3. The F Word: Finals
I hate to use the F word, but finals will soon be right around the corner. When they creep up, it can seem so overwhelming to study for them all, especially if the dates of the exams overlap. Instead of waiting until the last minute to even think about them, it’s a good idea to pull up the syllabus.
Simply knowing what is to be expected of you can help to relieve some stress. In addition, having a grip on your finals schedule can help you to plan accordingly. You can space out your studying based on the dates of each exam, look for extra credit opportunities, and find the details of the actual content of your final (if it is cumulative or not).
All of these practices help to soften the blow of finals week. No one is expecting you to be prepared to take the final tomorrow, but it is always wise to know what will soon be heading your way.
4. To-Do Lists
Whoever created To-Do lists should seriously endorse me, because I am the biggest advocate of them! My mom suggested this practice to me when I first entered college as a means to keep me from becoming flustered. I find this simple implication to work wonders, organization-wise. My To-Do lists have become beneficial in two distinct areas: staying organized and remembering things.
I make at least one or two lists per week. We all take multiple classes per semester with ever-changing schedules, so I find this practice helps me stay on track each week and know exactly what should be completed and when. In addition, my mom may have given me this tip, but she also gave me her infamous trait of forgetfulness. When you are constantly receiving new deadlines, I find it nearly liberating to just write the responsibility down and walk away, knowing you have a tangible resource to remind you and keep yourself on track.
Pro Tip: Use the reminders app on your phone! This is my holy grail and a very timely way to schedule all of your responsibilities.
5. Girl, Get Out There
No, networking is not extremely essential to a mid-semester lock-in, but it surely is pertinent! Handshake, LinkedIn, and Indeed are all great platforms to begin advertising and showcasing yourself. Sprucing up your resume also falls under this umbrella. It not only establishes your professional character, but expands your professional reach.
Think about the boss girl internships! Everyone is always on the hunt for real-world experience, and networking is a great way to catalyze the process of being offered such. The concept of really putting yourself and your accomplishments out there is no doubt overwhelming, yet everybody has to start somewhere. Whether you’re responding to a flood of job/internship offers or creating your first profile, networking your portfolio undoubtedly aids in setting you up for success!
If you’re feeling unusually unmotivated or are having trouble staying locked in, you are not alone. Most of us are in our mid-semester crashout phase, where even the smallest assignments can feel like an insurmountable chore. Yet, completing the year off strong doesn’t have to strain us in the ways we let it. It’s important to practice minute yet productive habits; even the simplest tweaks to your routine can give you a sense of productivity and inspiration. You are more than capable of dominating the rest of the semester; don’t let it dominate you!