Dead week comes and goes. Finals week comes and goes. After the extreme hustle and bustle of a frantic last couple of weeks, what should you do with your time come the first week of break? Don't lose the steam of diligence, determination, and motivation that has been pushing you through the last semester; instead, keep it going by completing several things that are imperative to keep you organized and on track to graduate with your hard-earned degree.
Here is a compilation of 17 important things that you should definitely make time for after you submit your last final paper or bubble in that last question of your cumulative final exam.
1. Return any books you rented
You don't want to be charged any late fees, so get those rentals sent back in time!
2. Sell any books that you purchased
If you purchased any books this semester, try to sell them back through the university, local bookstores, online, or to students who you know will be taking the same course in the future.
3. Fill out professor evaluations
Your profs have done so much for you throughout the duration of the semester, so the least you can do in return is accurately fill out their evaluations.
4. Go to the Rate My Professors website
Rate your professors so that other students know what to expect when they take their classes in the future. Put it all on there, the good and the bad, as long as your rating is an accurate depiction of your experience this semester.
5. Write thank you notes to your professors
If there was a particular professor who impacted your life this semester, let them know. If you really enjoyed a specific class this semester, let that professor know how much you did. Either sending an email or actually physically handwriting a thank you note to express your sincere gratitude will make that professor's day; I guarantee it.
6. Recycle lecture notes that are no longer needed
Save some trees and recycle your now-useless notebooks.
7. File away notes that will be useful in the future
If you have any class notes from the first part of a sequence, then it may be useful to keep those notes for when you take part two.
8. Delete any files on your computer you no longer need
If you have saved every PDF from the required readings after every semester, then your computer storage will fill up FAST.
9. Back up any major projects or papers for a future portfolio
Some files that you should probably make sure that you have saved, either on a cloud or a flash drive, are the final papers and projects that you worked very hard on. You never know when you will need to provide a glimpse into your academic endeavors.
10. Wash your bedding
It's probably been awhile.
11. Clean your apartment/dorm
If it's the end of the fall semester, then be sure to leave things clean so you come back to a fresh space. If it's the end of the spring semester, you are probably moving out so cleaning will come along with packing all your stuff.
12. Run your degree audit
Make sure that all your finals from the most recent semester have been credited to your degree audit so that you are still on track to graduate in your desired timeframe.
13. Review your schedule for NEXT semester
Yes, I know, you just finished one semester and probably do not want to even think about the next one. However, it will be beneficial for you to review what you enrolled in for the following semester now that you do not have any other school priorities pulling for your attention. Also, you can reevaluate your professor choices, workload, and class times based on the preferences you may have developed during the last semester.
14. Update your resume
Take things off that no longer apply, add the major accomplishments that occurred this semester, and be sure that your GPA is accurate.
15. Prioritize self-care
While self-care is highly important and should be prioritized all of the time, the conclusion of a semester is a great opportunity to really treat yourself.
16. Reflect on the highs and lows of the semester
Hopefully, you weren't too busy to miss these experiences during the actual semester; yet, if you were, then take some time now to reflect on all of the experiences that you endured and think about how they have shaped you into a better student and human being.
17. Congratulate yourself on surviving yet another semester of college
YOU DID IT! I know there were many times when you thought that you would not make it, but at last, you have!
