Now that we’re finishing up the fall semester, winter break is all that’s on our minds. Whether you’re going to the Bahamas, spending time with old friends, or just bedrotting, we all need a long and relaxing break. But as this new semester slowly creeps up on us, we need to make sure we’re prepared, so we make the most of the new year. We’ve brought a few tips to prepare yourself for the new semester, and they can all be done the week before you reach campus.
- Write down your goals + execute them!
To stay productive and work towards your goals, you need to write these goals down first. These don’t just have to be academic or professional goals. For example, your goal could be to cook a meal once a week or to finish a painting every month. More academic/professional goals could be to get a 4.0 semester or to finish a certification course. Now that you’ve written down your goals, create an action plan to fulfill them. Think about how much time in a week you’ll have to work on these goals and create a schedule to finish them. For example, for the certification course, you could put it in your calendar that you’ll work on it for 30 minutes every day. This will look different for everyone based on your schedule. Creating an action plan helps you stay consistent and lowers the load.
- Note down EVERY due date and exam from your syllabi
Your syllabus isn’t just a document to look back on later in the semester when you have a question; it’s a tool you can use to fully prepare yourself for the new year. Typically, the document will have your exam and project due dates, and you don’t want to forget about those later in the semester. And sure, you could just note them down as they come up, but keeping them in your calendar earlier will pay off in the long run. Let’s say you want to go to this concert, and you book the tickets. The week of, you realize it’s the night before a major exam, and you have a project due as well. Noting down the dates earlier would have allowed you to plan and either skip the concert or study well in advance. Additionally, most teachers assign homework on a schedule (ex: reading checks due Monday at 9:00 AM and practice problems due Friday at 11:59 PM). You can plan your weekly schedule in advance by noting these dates down.Â
- Analyze your previous mistakes and work on fixing them
Maybe this past semester wasn’t the best for you, and you have a few things you want to work on. This upcoming semester is the perfect time to do that! Write down all the mistakes you made last semester (studied only a couple of days before, kept missing assignments, couldn’t balance extracurriculars, etc.) and create a plan on how to solve them. Maybe you could create an assignment tracker or find a study buddy in each class. Working on your mistakes will lead you to a more productive semester.Â
All of these tips involve self-reflection and planning. Following these will not only help you excel academically and professionally but can also help you balance your personal life and relationships. No matter what your goals are, take charge and keep working on them. But for now, let’s focus on having a restful break! :D