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Academic Tips from a Senior

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TCNJ chapter.

It seems like just yesterday I was walking around during Welcome Week, exploring TCNJ… yet just this week, I applied for graduation. To make your academics a bit easier during college, here are a few tips:

  1. Know when you won’t be productive: I have wasted hours in the library when I was tired, sleep deprived, or hungry. I would stare emptily at my notes for hours. Know that when you are tired, you won’t get as much done as you would when you’re fresh. Go get some rest and try to do your homework at a different time.
  2. Avoid burnout: Schoolwork picks up during the second week. To avoid burning out, schedule some fun in between. Even getting a cup of coffee with your friends for an hour will help you relax and unwind.
  3. Record all deadlines on a calendar: Print out your syllabi for classes, and record when exams are, papers are due, and any other events you might have. This will help you mentally prepare yourself throughout the weeks instead of just living day by day.
  4. Take advantage of weekends: Most college students like to use Friday and Saturday to get drunk, and they try to catch up on all of their work on Sunday. If you’re that student, then you will probably have to schedule more hours during the week to try and catch up academically. What works for me is relaxing Friday, studying for half of Saturday, and studying for all of Sunday.
  5. Sleep: A lot of us conjure images of pulling all-nighters during exam week – but that’s unnecessary. Schedule your studying in a way that you’re getting 6-8 hours of sleep a night. If you feel exhausted by the end of a day, then turn off the alarm one day and sleep in for a bit. It will make you feel a lot less cranky, and you’ll be able to pay attention in class.

Good luck this semester, collegiettes!

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A Junior Biology major with side passions of coffee, fashion, makeup, and Netflix. 
Kyra Mackesy graduated The College of New Jersey with a BA in Journalism and Professional Writing and a minor in Criminology in 2019. While at TCNJ, she was an active member of their Her Campus chapter, holding a wide array of positions: President and Campus Correspondent, Editor-in-Chief, Senior Editor, Marketing and Publicity Director, and Social Media Manager. She loved seeing her chapter grow throughout her four years in college, and will remain an active Her Campus Alumni.