Spring break has come and gone and some of us have already had a taste of summer. A week is simply not enough to quench our thirst for an everlasting sunshine, and the fact that I’m writing to you as I prepare for another Boston snowfall is not exactly ideal. Last fall, I experienced a funk towards the end of my first semester at college where midterms had drained me of my freshman energy and finals were slowly approaching. Now that it is time for round two, I’m determined not to let myself slack off or drown with the prospect of summer vacation so close. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you’re preparing to conquer the second half of the semester:
Don’t Let the Summer Sunshine Blind You
I have an affinity for sunshine, in case you haven’t caught that by now. Growing up in South Texas with a perpetual summer has spoiled me and, as previously mentioned, snowfall after spring break isn’t the most pleasant news. I know that with our fresh tans and budding swimsuit collection visible, we tend to focus on the prospect of summer vacation a little too much. We must remember that while we can look forward to summer vacation, we still have about 7 weeks left of school to get through. This means we can’t spend all of our time daydreaming of tropical paradises and online shopping for cute summer dresses; there’s still work to do! As college students, we’re in school for a reason: to get that degree. Don’t let the summer sunshine blind you into forgetting your main goals and plans for the end of the school year. Being in college should be fun and rewarding, so don’t let your forward vision make you dread being in school.
It’s Never Too Late to Get Organized
I like to think of myself as a pretty organized student, but there’s always room for improvement. One way to transition into a more organized lifestyle is by making lists for yourself (oh how we love lists here). To-do lists are golden keys to success, and there are many different ways to use them to your advantage. One of the methods that I just learned about involves eating frogs. Let me reassure you that no frogs are actually harmed in the usage of this method, nor are human intestines. The method of eating frogs when it comes to to-do lists is to prioritize your lists by difficulty or unpleasantness. The task(s) that you’re dreading the most should go at the top of the list and these will become your frogs. The idea behind the method dates back to Mark Twain’s time when he said “If you start each day by eating a live frog, you can be fairly sure that nothing worse than that can happen to you all day.” By dealing with your “frogs” before anything else, you’re sure to kick your productivity to the next level.
Work Smart and Work Hard
Some of us spend our time wondering whether working smart or working hard will get our schoolwork done quicker or better. Working smart can mean prioritizing our tasks (see above) to get things done quicker and maximizing our limited amounts of time. On the other hand, working hard can mean working until you’re tired out and all your resources are depleted, including time and energy. There are advantages and disadvantages to having either mindset, but a better way to think about working is to combine both. In other words, work hard AND smart to be as successful as possible. By combining the efficiency of smart work and the endurance of hard work, you’ll soon find yourself getting things done faster and be pleased with the outcomes. Maybe it’s just me, but becoming a well-oiled working machine is a romantic notion and the sensation of getting things done is very refreshing.
Sleep is a Wonderful Thing
Have you ever wondered why you’re so cranky during the day or what might be the reason why school is such a drag? It may just be a lack of sleep eating away at your bubbly personality. I’m sure you’ve heard countless times that you need sleep, but I’m just gonna help drive it home for you. YOU. NEED. SLEEP. And not just a couple of hours each night, you need an adequate amount of sleep most nights in order to be a properly functioning Harvard student. I, myself, am guilty of putting work before my slumber, but who isn’t these days? As a morning person, I make it a point to wake up before 7 in the morning every day and I put myself down for “sleeping in.” This means that if I stayed up really late the night before trying to finish a math pset, I only allowed myself about 4 hours of sleep sometimes. Now if I know that I have to wake up early the next morning, I won’t let myself stay up too late to do work and I’ll work on it the next morning instead. I’ve learned to prioritize sleep to keep myself healthy, something that is overlooked by many college students. And to those of you who have never seen a sunrise, there are plenty of benefits to becoming a morning person. Adjusting your sleep schedule a little at a time can do wonders for your mood and productivity.
Positivity is Key
I’m one of those cheesy people that have quotes taped to the wall next to my desk that read “be happy” and “she believed she could, so she did,” etc. Last semester, I bought sunflowers at the farmer’s market in the Science Center Plaza every week to brighten up my workspace. All these little things to boost my mood are essential to keeping me going when my workload is tough. Now that midterms are over and the finals schedule is out, I know that I’m in for a rough 7 weeks ahead. I won’t let it get to me though! Keeping myself in a good mood will do wonders for my work ethic and there’s so many ways to remain positive during the second half of the semester. Visuals are my preferred positivity method, but I’m sure you can find a way that works best to bring out the optimist in you.
And as cliche as it sounds,
Treat Yo’ Self
The rewards system is a surefire way to keep anyone going through the end of the school year, but it should not be abused. There are many ways to feel rewarded without spending absurd amounts of money on clothes or food or massages. Create a rewards system for yourself that is reasonable but still exciting. For example, if you cross all of the things off of your to-do list for a week, then treat yourself to a movie date on the weekend or a cupcake from Mike’s Pastries. If you finish going over all of the chapters for one class and are ready to jump into a second round of reviewing, take a break and head into Boston for a mini shopping spree or walk around the Charles River for a while. Everything is good in moderation including schoolwork AND treats, so find yourself a nice and healthy balance between the two to carry you until the summer.