Here we are again, another semester has arrived and will undeniably put us to the test. Here come the tears, the procrastination and the late nights of cramming. I’ve realized that I have commitment issues. I have problems committing to assignments, going to class and being a good student. However, I always like to find ways to make me a better student, help me stay on top of things, and what better than using the new year and a fresh start in a new semester as motivation?
I have handpicked three top ways that I will attempt to be my best version of a student this semester, maybe we can try these together!
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Sit in the front
Have you ever noticed that those who sit in the front of class are always the ones who are participating, and the ones who seem to get really good grades? Here is my theory about those who sit in the front. Sitting in the front of class forces you to put away your phone because of feeling rude right in front of the professor. It also makes you a more likely candidate for the teacher to choose to answer a question about what they are teaching. So you don’t really have a choice but to listen unless you’re alright with answering, “I don’t know, I wasn’t listening.” The teacher will most likely recognize you and your effort and when you approach them, they’ll know that you work hard! So this semester, try sitting in the front of class, really take notes and pay attention.
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Use “stickies”
On a Macs you can find a tool called “stickies.” These are little note pads that you can keep on your desktop. You can pick a different colour for each class and use it to write down the nearest deadlines. A lot of people use an agenda to write down their deadlines and weekly assignments, but being someone who uses their laptop daily, I think this method works better.
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Stop going to bed late
If there is something I could use more of, it’s sleep! I always complain that I am so tired and that’s probably because I sleep between four and five hours a night when I have to be at school for an 8:45 a.m. class. Honestly, getting more sleep is a lot harder than it seems. Something I am going to try this semester is turning off my laptop, putting my phone on do not disturb and really forcing myself to sleep until it becomes a routine. Let’s hope this works! I am determined to put away all distractions, so that I can wake up in the morning and not feel like a potato.
There are many ways that can help us stay on top of things. Ultimately, we are the ones standing in our own way, so putting the blame on other things won’t change anything at all. Let’s get ourselves together this semester, kick some butt, and get excited for a great year ahead of us!