This semester marks my last semester of undergrad here at VCU. In the past four years, I have used a number of techniques to ensure my academic success, making the name “Taylor Carey” commonplace on the semesterly honor roll list. Like most things in life, success is relative. With that being said, these tips are what have worked for me, so take what you can and leave the rest!
- Have Multiple Planners
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Being a student can be taxing. Being an involved student can be stressful, but extremely rewarding. Being heavily involved in a sorority, writing for Her Campus, being a full-time student, working, having a social life, working out and more all generate a variety of responsibilities and expectations that would be impossible to remember and execute without writing them down. I personally have a general planner in addition to specific planners for each section of my life. In conjunction with steps two and three, it is nearly impossible for me to miss a deadline, event or commitment, easing stress and relationships!
- Syllabus Prep
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Each semester I take it upon myself to study my syllabi. I do so by writing down grade percentage breakdowns, important deadlines, class expectations, meeting times, etc. By doing so, I’m allowing myself ample time to prepare for exams, papers, readings and homework. Grade percentage breakdowns also highlight what I should focus on the most throughout the semester and precisely what the professor is looking for in coursework execution.
- Use Your Phone
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As a student in the 21st century, it is astonishing how few students utilize their mobile devices. My calendar app is my organizational North Star, the first thing I look at when I wake up and the last thing I look at before I go to bed. It prepares me for my day and allows me to use my time accordingly in all of my different roles!
- Find What Study Techniques Work For You
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To complete this step, there are a few factors to consider. First, find your optimal study spot. Do you get the most work done in the library, your room, outside in nature or in your living room? If you do not know, find it! It is where you unlock your full academic potential. Second, understand your most effective study habits. What music helps you concentrate? What helps you memorize? Do you have to be alone to concentrate? And third, plan out your time. What needs to be done by tomorrow? If there is an exam coming up, split up the material into different days at the library so you do not cram the day before. As I write this, I am in a library room on the silent floor, listening to green noise, studying with a Caramel Macchiato and my water bottle. This setup works best for me — find yours!
- Have An Open Line Of Communication With Your Professors
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At the end of the day, establishing and maintaining a relationship with your professors covers you in both positive and negative circumstances. As the semester begins, take syllabus week to introduce yourself, go to office hours and participate in class discussions. Coming into our early adulthood where life comes at you at full speed, things happen all the time that hinder your ability to do your best in class. Asking a professor for an extension, help with a study plan, extra credit, etc. in conjunction with a general overview of what is going on may show you are not neglecting the class, but in a situation where academic perfection is impossible. This shows maturity and vulnerability as everyone deserves a little bit of slack in the face of adversity. The worst they can do is say no and point you in the direction of other solutions to the problem. On a more positive note, this professor-student relationship allows for the possibility of letters of recommendation in the future for those of us applying to graduate school and big-girl jobs for after graduation. There are no negatives to getting to know someone!
- Wake Up At The Same Time Everyday
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For me, I enjoy the seemingly unlimited time at my disposal when I wake up before 8 a.m. I wake up, do my morning routine, workout, shower and eat, and I still have free time before my first class! If that time seems too drastic, that is also okay. Find what works for you! The goal is to get yourself into a routine where you are automatically intent on doing positive actions to improve your life and make yourself an academic weapon.
- Be Patient With Yourself And Pivot
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Although I expect a lot from myself in everything I do, I did have a semester where my GPA was far from a 4.0 due to a multitude of personal reasons, and that is okay! In the moment I found myself questioning my intelligence and straying away from who I was as a student and person. But looking back on it now, I was only stressing myself out more, in addition to everything else I had going on. I now know I need to be patient with myself, giving myself room for the occasional slip-up or missing assignment, pivoting to the next and moving on so the mindset does not spread to my other classes.
- Get Ahead
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Along with being patient with yourself, it is always best to get ahead on your schoolwork. I try to maintain a one-week buffer between assignment completion and deadlines. This gives me more time to perfect my work and allows me to collect myself if life gets in the way of homework.
- Utilize VCU Resources
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There are a multitude of resources available to us as VCU students that so many are unaware of. Let’s fix that! The Cabell Library is stocked full of technology, books, online databases and study spaces. The Commons hosts a number of curated events every week for all VCU students. Free online therapy is available online as well. And this is just the tip of the iceberg! If you have an issue, research it and see if your tuition is paying for a solution.