Almost everyone in college has had a semester where they either let themselves go, or they put too much on their plate at once. The semester I’m describing hit me last semester. I stopped trying as hard because I treated college like high school. I got a huge wake-up call at the end of the semester when final grades came out and I had received both a C and an F. I decided this was where I drew the line on my laziness with my classes, and I knew that the next semester was where I proved that I could accomplish what college threw at me. Here are ways that you, too, can have a better semester:
1. Have a Better Attitude
I started off with a new attitude. Last semester I had this part of me that said; “it isn’t due for another three days, you can do it the day before.” However, I always ended up underestimating how hard a task was or what else I would get that would be due that same day. Procrastination is a horrible pit that most students fall into at one point or another. My new attitude is to go ahead and get it done while you have time because you never know what else life will throw at you later. I have started making time every day to work in the library and get the homework done that was assigned that day. This also allows for more free time in the evenings where I can do what I want instead of being stuck at my desk until 1 a.m. doing school work.
2. Make a Schedule
Making a schedule has also helped me get off to a better start every morning and helps my day flow better. Every morning I get up around 7 a.m. no matter what time my classes start. This has helped me establish the time needed for a proper morning routine, which can dissipate when you no longer have parents around to make you eat your breakfast or make sure you look presentable. It also helps you manage your time better, gives you time for school, friends and extracurricular activities.
3. Get a Tutor
Not everyone will need a tutor, but after I failed a class that was one of my main classes I decided it was time to ask for help. Luckily, I had friends who offered to tutor me in the classes that I had struggled in. You can also look into group tutoring sessions if one-on-one tutoring makes you nervous. Most universities or professors offer something like this. At VCU we have supplementaI instruction sessions, or SI, which is basically a small classroom-sized tutoring session specific to the class.
4. Give yourself Incentive
By giving yourself an incentive to do well, you can make yourself work harder towards your goal than you would if you did not have one. Your incentive could be anything from concert tickets, high-end make-up products or anything that you normally would not buy yourself. These can become goals to help you reach your full potential and instead of slacking off you just have to remember what you are working towards.
5. Make Time for Yourself
Stress was something I struggled with a lot last semester, I never made time for myself to just fully blow off some steam. Whether it is just sitting and watching a movie, going to the gym or reading a book, it is necessary for you to make time for yourself. By taking some time each week to yourself, you should find that you are less stressed and able to focus more on the tasks at hand.
I hope these tips can help you to pick yourself back up after a rough semester. Just remember that you are not the only one to ever fail a class or have to ask for help in a class. This struggle happens to everyone at one point or another and there are always people there to help you through the struggles. So keep calm and study on.