College kids across the nation have spent the past two weeks without pants on, lying in bed binge watching Netflix, refusing to check fall semester's grades and denying the fact that spring semester is fast approaching.
Me. Too.
But the great thing about a new semester is the opportunity to pull yourself up by the bootstraps, put what happened last semester behind you, and try again.
I want to help get you off to the right start, with some tips and tricks I've researched and done myself, to help make it a successful semester.
Find a Hobby
I decided to start my blog because it is my creative outlet, it's how I destress, and makes me feel like I have one aspect of my life I can control. I don't get many views per day, 30-40 maybe, but I don't do it for the views, I do it for me. So when you are going into a new semester, you need to have an outlet planned already. It doesn't have to be a new hobby, it can be a passion you have you let taper off that you want to pick back up, or it can be something completely new. College is so stressful, and with our generation being constantly bashed for being sensitive, we can often feel as though we have no way out. If you are really suffering from any external or internal issues from your stress, you do need to see someone, but you can also find a hobby. Anyone can do this. It can be anything, too. You can write, work out, paint, or, I highly suggest, starting a blog about what you love. Ultimately, you need to find something that will let your emotions run wild in any way you want, so when school becomes too much, you know you have something to turn to.
Get Into Your Routine Now
I've spent most of break staying up until the wee hours of the morning, but I have 9:30 classes Monday-Friday on the horizon. Staying up late and having early classes are very obviously two things that don't go together. The best way to make sure you aren't struggling to get into your routine the first week or two of school, start now. This can just mean going to bed earlier and waking up earlier, but I would even go as far as to play our the whole routine. For example, if you do a full face of makeup, take a shower and do your hair, or just throw on some cloths and run out the door before your classes, then do that. What I do in the morning depends solely on which day of the week it is, because some days I have one class, but on Monday I go from 9 am to 9 pm. Instead, I practice going to bed early, wake up, and make sure I can wash my face, do my hair, and get dressed by 9 am, in time to catch the bus to go to class.
Plan Your Routine for the Semester
You have your class schedule for the upcoming semester, so it's time to set up a tentative schedule for the week. It will change, of course, but having an idea for the first couple weeks so you don't run around blindly. For example, I want to start working out next semester. I have my class schedule, along with my other things that happen every week; chapter on Sunday, things like that. So I have planned out to work out every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7:30pm because my classes are over, I have nothing else to do, and free parking starts at 7:30pm. Fridays, I have my workout scheduled for noon because that's when I'll be out of class. I have my study times set up between my class, because I have large gaps in my classes, and my laundry scheduled on Tuesday or Thursday because I only have one class. Although I know this will change, and own't be the same every week, it makes me feel a lot less anxious knowing I have some more structure.
Get New School Supplies
What is it with that rejuvenating feeling you get when you get some new school supplies? No matter how old you are, what grade you are in, or even if you aren't in school, there is no better feeling then opening a new pack of pens. There's also always that puzzling moment when you find out you managed to lose every single pencil you had bought in August. In college, supplies aren't expensive. So if you lost all your stuff from fall semester, or you just want to change it up, go to Target and pick up some stuff. I especially recommend getting a planner. If you've always had one, it's probably time for a new one, unless you use the 18 month planners. I will go into detail in my next blog about using your planner, but it is a great investment,
Clean Up Your Space
With a week left until class start, take a day to deep clean. Organize your closet, clean out under your bed, vacuum and shampoo your carpet, clean out your desk, anything that needs some attention. If you're anything like me, a cluttered room clutters your mind. Whenever my room gets dirty and cluttered throughout the semester, I stress out until it's clean and organized again. Going into your semester stress-free, it's important to make sure your room is not only clean, but organized too.
Syllabus Week Doesn't Exist
Let's be real, there's no such thing as syllabus week. It's a lie made up to make us think the first week is going to be easy. In reality, you spend 20 minutes, if you're really lucky, talking about it the first class, the professor let's you go, and you have homework that night. More than likely you'll be taking notes 30 minutes into class. If you haven't figured it out yet, it's incredibly easy to fall behind in college. When your homework is to read, unlike high school, you need to read. So when you have this syllabus week mentality, you will fall behind, and spend the weeks until spring break struggling to catch back up. I spent many semesters doing this, and my junior year spring semester I made myself start my work my first week, and I'm so glad I did. Even take this week to get ahead if you are lucky enough to have a lax week.
Set Your Goals
A lot of blogs talk about setting your goals, but that's because it's important. Setting goals gives you motivation and makes you want to better yourself. So before the semester starts, set some goals you want to achieve. They don't have to necessarily be academic, it could be to join a new organization, or get more involved with one you are currently in. But write them down and stick them somewhere you'll see them everyday.
As I said earlier, each semester will let you wipe the slate clean. Don't focus on how you did in the fall, just let it motivate you.
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