Welcome all first years and transfer students, and welcome back to everyone else! The time has come to put away your bikinis and take a break from binge watching Netflix, summer vacation is unfortunately and officially over. Now that classes are in full swing, it is important to make sure you are setting yourself up for success this semester. Here are a few suggestions…
1) BE ORGANIZED!
With classwork, sports practices, club meetings and the ever so important social events building up in your schedule; make sure you keep track of all of your commitments. Log important due dates in a planner, make a color coded schedule in your phone calendar, or even disperse post-it notes around your room. No matter the method, recording your weekly plan and goals now can help eliminate stress later.
2) STAY ON TOP OF YOUR WORKLOAD!
Now that your assignments are nicely organized in a planner, it’s time to do your work! It is all too easy to become overwhelmed with what feels like an excessive or unreasonable amount of work. Don’t procrastinate! If you start off the semester really following the reading and writing assignments outlined in your syllabi, it will create a very productive work ethic. It may seem silly now, but when you see the rest of your friends panicking and pulling all-nighters to read entire books and write 20-page papers deeper into the semester you will be so thankful you stayed on top of your work.
3) COMMIT!
The involvement fair is a perfect opportunity to give every organization your email in order to receive free candy and stuff (guilty!). Once emails actually start coming out, sift through them and try to choose a few that you’re actually interested in pursuing! Once you have attended initial meetings, practices and discussions, you’ll have a better idea of which ones to commit. It’s definitely important to find a balance between school work and extracurricular activities. Try incorporating at least one new organization into your schedule, but don’t overbook yourself!
4) RELAX!
College is all about putting yourself out there and trying new things. You are obviously here to get an education, but there are so many learning opportunities outside of the classroom setting. Commitments will keep piling up, big papers and major exams might be set for the same day, and your coach might think that your head just isn’t where it’s supposed to be during practice. Make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating balanced and nutritious meals, and DON’T FORGET TO TREAT YO’SELF! Keeping yourself healthy and happy might be the best thing you can do this semester!
GOOD LUCK!