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How to Have the Best Semester Ever

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The start of a new semester is always rough. You have to dive back into the grind of school with new classmates, new professors, and new workloads. It can take a toll on anyone, especially when trying to figure out how you’re going to tackle the semester. Fear not fellow students, here are some tips on how to have the best semester ever and get those good grades.

Divide and Conquer: One of the best ways to stay on top of your coursework is to break it up in bits. Always write down when all of your assignments, tests and projects are due. Having a planner or calendar is great for keeping track of how much time you’ll have. Keeping track is vital for success. After writing it down try diving up your workload into little chunks to do each day and see how it works for you. Many of us are prone to putting things off until last minute to be then left sitting there asking ourselves why we do this to ourselves over and over. Breaking up your work this way can be a nice way to ease some of the stress of big workloads.

Set the Scene: Although getting comfortable in bed is always fantastic, realistically it probably isn’t the best place for you to do your homework. When sitting down to start your work you should do it in an area you know you’ll be able to stay focused and productive in. We’ve all heard it before but it’s probably best you put your phone away for a bit. Got to stay focused my friend! Also, don’t be afraid to try out new areas to work in. Go out, explore. See what works for you! Maybe you’ll find you love getting work done in a coffee shop or sitting out by the quad. Maybe you’ll even find a little love for some soft Beethoven in the background while you’re at it. Always remember to take breaks and allow yourself time to recharge! The more focused you are the more productive you’ll be, and the more productive you are the sooner you’ll be done, just remember that.

Try new techniques: There are lots of different study/homework methods out there, and the internet is a great way to find them. Whether it’s flashcards or notes, they’re all worth a try! One of the best study methods I have discovered is to try and teach someone what you learned. So maybe go over to your roommate, your dog, even your wall, and try to teach them what you’ve been studying. Then while you’re teaching, if you find any holes in your own knowledge you can go back and look over it. Speaking about the subject out loud is a great way to help retain information!

Read the readings: I know, I know. Readings suck. Some teachers just stack pages upon pages for us to read, making us all look down at it like “Yeah… I don’t have time for that.” Well, now’s the time we try and make time. If you have a few moments to spare between classes, break out the readings instead of scrolling on your phone. Just try to squeeze in some reading time whenever you get a chance. Maybe wake up a little earlier or plan a trip to a tea shop to let yourself sip while you read. Just try to get the jist. If you can’t read it all try seeing if there is a summary of it somewhere online or read the beginning and concluding paragraphs to see if you can get the jist of what the author is saying. Just by getting an idea of what the author is saying you’ll be better equipped for class the next day.

Do the Extra Credit: Guys, always do the extra credit if your professor is nice enough to offer it. It can be just what you need to push that grade up a notch or help cushion the blow of a bad grade on an assignment.