Coming back to school after a long winter break can be tough. After a few weeks of relaxing, trying to get yourself back into your academic weapon self can be tough. Don’t worry, here are some tips to get you back into that smart mindset.
1. Set up your planner!
Take time to organize your planner. Take all your classes syllabus’ and put the important dates (Quizzes, tests, midterms, etc.) into the planner! Another wise thing you can do with planners is set aside time for yourself or other tasks (like laundry, dishes, etc.). To make it more fun, color-code or order stickers for academic planners! Personalizing planners is what makes it so fun to keep up with!
2. Change your scenery!
Sometimes after breaks, students hit a lull in their motivation. Don’t be afraid to explore campus for new study spots! Sometimes the library can get too basic or static in nature – try being an academic weapon in a new area. It’s also a good way to learn your study style. Do you want to study with noise or quietness? With people around or by yourself? There’s a place for everyone!
3. Try a new study plan!
If you feel yourself slipping away into procrastination land, try studying in a different way! There’s such a variety of studying techniques: Instrumental music, Study playlists on YouTube, etc. Personally, I love the study playlists on YouTube that follow a Rory Gilmore aesthetic and go by the Pamodoro Timer (25 minutes of work, 5 minute breaks).
4. Set up a study reward system!
At the end of the day, a sweet treat can motivate just about anyone. Try setting attainable goals for studying or completing a task and reward yourself once it’s completed. That way you can be satisfied with knowing you have something ticked off of your to-do list and a treat in your hand!
5. Make a weekly to-do list!
There is nothing better than creating a to-do list and crossing it off. Visibly seeing your progress can help motivate you to finish your work, especially if you don’t like leaving things incomplete. To-do lists are ways for you to get everything you need done on paper so that you don’t have to sort through your brain for what to do next. My tip? Make your to-do list and then number them by importance so you know what you want to finish first. This can be by starting with the easy items or the harder ones. Don’t be afraid to mix it up and mismatch it by switching between easy and hard!
