By Kenya Baker
After returning from Spring Break two weeks ago, many of us are still in play mode instead of work mode. Not to mention midterm grades were posted giving a glimpse into your future in terms of grades. Before we begin counting down the days left of the semester there are some things we need to keep in mind such as classes, friendships, summer, jobs/internship, and important dates/deadlines.
Classes: All of us need to end the semester on a strong note and classes are the best way to start. A strong GPA won’t only appease your parents but also make you feel great. After seeing those mid-term grades you can be proactive about your weaknesses by getting a tutor, visiting the professor during office hours and actually spending time studying. Or you can just pray for the best and hope the professor blesses you with at least a C. This is the perfect time to start thinking about classes you want to take for Fall 2014. So ask your peers, check ratemyprofessor.com, and make an appointment with your advisor to plan the perfect schedule for fall.
Friendships: If you went home for Spring Break you might have noticed you weren’t as close to some friends as you thought you were. Either their schedules clashed with yours or hanging out wasn’t as fun as you thought it would be. It is important we take time to actually communicate with our friends before they become strangers. A good morning text is always a great start or a hilarious vine. Keeping a friendship you’ve made at school is super hard while on summer vacation due to time differences and lack of free time. However when there is a will there is a way. If you want to keep friendships thriving you must make the effort.
Summer: Everyone loves summer. It’s the perfect time to pick up a new hobby like dancing, hot yoga, cooking, or plan trips to beaches and amusement parks near by. It maybe months away but now is the time to start planning and budgeting for these activities. Besides outside activities there are plenty of inside activities you can enjoy while keeping cool. With almost three months to spare you have all the time in the world to do things you’ve been putting off like getting your license or decorating your room.
Jobs/Internship: As relaxing as it sounds to just sit at home all day and do nothing you’ll eventually get bored. So why not use the free time you have and be productive by working or interning. Learning skills that will benefit the career path you’d like to take in the future will be a learning experience and more fun than sitting at home all day. Working allows you to meet new people and depending on were you work you may even get a discount on merchandise or free food. There is a plus to working and some internship you get rewarded in cash. Who doesn’t like a paycheck at the end of every week or every two weeks in some cases? Also it can show off how independent and reliable you can be.
Important dates/deadlines: Not paying attention to important dates and deadlines is the easiest way to watch everything you’ve worked hard far go down the drain. With professors assigning final projects left and right you are going to have to exercise your time management skills these last weeks of the semester. To make things even more complicated there are applications due for housing, and student organization in the midst of it all. The thought of having more than one thing due within the same week sounds bizarre. But fear not that’s why we calendar and reminder apps to keep us focused.