Anastasia RozakosÂ
Are you ready for this semester? We aren’t either. Nevertheless, we have a few tips to turn you from an academic victim to an academic weapon this school year.Â
No. 1: Make Yourself MemorableÂ
We are sure you’ve heard from your parents, friends and family that you must introduce yourself to your professors. This is a good tip, but it’s not great. If you’re like us, you may not always want to introduce yourself to your professor, or you might have a class right after. If that’s the case, make yourself memorable instead.Â
What do I mean by this? It’s simple, really. Find a way to stand out to your professors; the whole point is to make sure they know who you are. You can do this in a million ways, like answering questions in class, laughing at their jokes or thanking the professor after each lecture. The possibilities are endless. Professors see hundreds of faces each day; make sure they remember yours.Â
No. 2: Find Your Perfect Study SpotÂ
What happens in the classroom is important, but what happens out of it is even more so. Studying can be a drag if you don’t know what works for you. Our advice is to figure out how you learn best.Â
You may find that complete silence in the depths of Cooper Library makes your focus laser, or you could find out the hard way that it drives you insane (been there). You may need the ambiance of a coffee shop with soft music and lively chatter. A midnight study sesh may work like a charm, or you may be woken up two hours later at closing.Â
Everyone studies differently. What works for your friends may not work for you. You can study for five hours every day, but your grades won’t reflect your effort if you aren’t studying correctly. Take some time before the semester gets serious, and learn what makes your wheels turn.Â
No. 3: Stick to a ScheduleÂ
One of the most important things you can do as a college student is to have a concrete schedule. You may say, “I already have a schedule; everyone has one when they register for classes.” However, this is not what we’re talking about.Â
While your class schedule is a good starting point, you need to add so much more. “Like what?” you ask. Simple, we’ll tell you some basics.
Block out mealtimes, especially lunch. It can be easy to forgo meals because you’re busy, but that does not serve you. Food equals energy, and energy is needed to make the most of your day.Â
You should also have designated study time. Having it on a calendar, planner, or to-do list makes it far more likely that you will study. You can study with friends or in fun places, but make sure you have a specific time outlined. This makes your academics seem way more manageable throughout the week.Â
Don’t forget to block out time for friends. We can all be forgetful (me especially), so having a reminder makes your life easier. It also makes it easy to see what parts of your day are free. While we want you to be the best student you can be, we also want you to have time for friends and fun.Â
Does this mean you have to schedule your whole life? No! Think of your schedule as a guide for your day. Not everything needs to be planned. Your life isn’t perfect, so your schedule won’t be either. This is a tool to make the most of your time and create the best work-life balance possible. So customize your schedule for you. You know what works best for you, so take that and leave the rest.Â
With these tips in mind, we leave you to conquer the upcoming school year. You are going to crush this semester, and we will be cheering you on along the way!