Well, we are into our third week of the Spring semester and I am already EXHAUSTED. This has already been a really exciting semester. My 21st birthday was last weekend and this weekend I am going to Phoenix for a golf tournament! With all of these exciting events happening, work and school have been really tough. However, my goal this semester is to have fun while still doing well in school. Here is how I plan to handle it and some advice that might be helpful to you too!
- Plan, plan, plan!
I am a huge believer in planning. Without my planner, I would be completely lost. Every Sunday I sit down and plan out my week. This includes writing down the assignments I have due, when I am going to do them, when I have class, when I have work, and all of the other activities I have planned. Writing these things down holds me accountable and allows me to have a strict schedule of when I am going to do things. It also makes it easier to know when I have free time to do other things, like hang out with friends.
- Do your assignments further in advanced
I really like to do my assignments a week before they are due. I know, I sound crazy. Not only does this allow me to be a week ahead, it also helps me prepare for anything that comes up last minute. We have all had those professors that forget to tell you about an assignment due that week, and usually we are still super stressed from the work we already have. By getting things done a little earlier, I am less stressed about deadlines because I am a week ahead. When life become extremely hectic, you’ll be able to take a little break if you need to.
- Make time for fun too
As I said before, a balance between school and fun is important. The weekends are some of my favorite times because I have the least amount of work to do and I can relax. I really like to try and get all my work done during the week, because that makes weekends a lot less stressful. I know you’re tired and just want to watch Netflix after class, but push yourself to do some homework as well. Then, you can reward yourself on the weekend without anything hanging over your head.
- Sleep
How can I tell you to do all your homework during the week and get sleep, right? This is something I have been struggling with myself already this semester. After having an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. day, then doing homework and other chores, it is about midnight before we can get any rest. I guess the only advice I can give on this one is time management and weighing what extracurricular activities are worth losing sleep for. I will definitely be working on getting more sleep this semester.
- Realize you do not have to be perfect
You are most likely going to have some slip ups this semester, do not be too hard on yourself. I feel like we all put a lot of pressure on ourselves and do not let ourselves make mistakes. It is normal to not be the best at everything you do, and the world is not going to end if you don’t do as well on an assignment as you hoped to. Relax, try your best, and don’t give up!