One down, one more to go! At least for this school year. Now I know all of our mentalities going into semester two. “I’m going to do better than last semester!” “I’m going to work harder and get better grades”
Quite frankly, what I’ve realized is that each new semester is treated like a whole new year in terms of all of the goals and resolutions we expect ourselves to follow. Now hopefully, with this new semester, we all hold onto these goals and follow through with them. So here are some tips to help you through our next cycle of homework, exams, quizzes, presentations, and not to mention another round of finals for the grand finale.
Be realistic with your goals
Step one: Don’t overdo it with your goals! That doesn’t mean that you can’t do it, it just sets a realistic standard for yourself. Nonetheless, don’t stop there. If you reach that goal, keep going. Don’t make the initial goal far out of reach because it might just seem like too much and you’ll end up less motivated. Make sure you don’t just reflect on your goals but you make a plan to achieve them.
Now that you have your goals, write them down and tape them down where you know you’ll see them often
This is just as important as making your goals. Write some down on a post-it and stick them on your mirror, your binder, your notebooks, really anywhere that you’ll be able to see it daily. This makes sure you’re constantly reminded and given some extra motivation. Sure it might sound silly, but it can really affect the way you go about your day at school.
Pay a little bit more attention in class by taking more notes
We all know it’s true. After the first few days back and we start getting less and less sleep, there’s not as much incentive to actually sit in class for 80 minutes. Try bringing out your notebook right away when you get into class and jot down some notes here and there. If you find yourself dozing off, make sure to bring a snack for class, this way you have something else to focus on. Don’t spend 80 minutes of your life in a classroom with nothing written down to prove it. This will also make studying a lot better because all the information is already there, your future self will thank you.
Up your organizational skills with bullet journals
Bullet journals aren’t just something you see on Tumblr! It’s helped immensely with my planning and time management skills. Not to mention, it’s a really fun creative way to get organized. If you don’t see yourself as an artistic person and therefore decide not to try bullet journaling, you’re missing out. Bullet journals are 100% tailored the way you want them to be because you’re the designer. They don’t have to be artistic, they can be completely simple. The idea of a bullet journal isn’t for it to just be aesthetically pleasing, but to actually help the person with their planning and goals! Give it a shot and you might actually really like it!
Get ahead when you have the chance
Again, your future self will thank you for this. When you’re given a project that’s said to be due in a month. Get it started. No matter how small the project is. Even with small homework questions or even just a worksheet. Things pile up quickly, way too quickly. Get it out of the way and get ready for another load, because you will for sure get one soon enough.
Make way for friends
Don’t go through this semester confined in your room writing essays, finishing IA’s and labs. Make sure you have time for fun. It’s not good for our brain to just be in a loop of homework. Your happiness is just as valuable than whatever piece of schoolwork you’re trying to get done. So get out of the house at least once a week and let yourself get loose. You deserve it.
