>Start early- Did your professor send you an email or open blackboard early? read it. If you walk into syllabus day with an idea of what the material covers, you can start a discussion or talk with your professor after class about the upcoming assignments. It also doesn’t hurt to thank them for allowing you to get a head start!
>Syllabus Day is important- You may not do anything significant in class, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a head start for the semester! If you’re let out of class early find a comfy spot and start reading the first chapter you’re assigned. Take notes if you can! Nothing beats the feeling of nailing that first assignment and getting to participate in the first discussion and show your professor that you mean business!
>Ask questions- Just because your professors said they wouldn’t round your grade doesn’t mean they won’t help you! They want to see you succeed in their class! Be active in discussions, ask questions, or even just ask for clarification on upcoming due dates! Every professor at UNT has a personal mission to do everything they can to help you succeed so show them you’re ready to do just that!
>Ignore the pressure of society- Society says to treat-yo-self all day every day. Putting off your reading and studying results in MAJOR fatigue early on in the semester. Ignore the temptation to study the day before your first test. Instead, I recommend you seek out your spot in Willis or Sycamore for the semester where you can unwind and take your time on all of your assignments!
>Actually work hard- To stay on top of the game, work diligently on all of your assignments in a timely manner. If you work hard during the semester, when it comes time for the midterm and final you won’t have to pull an all-nighter studying! You’ll know most of the information because you worked hard to retain it! Let’s be real if you have a high grade in a class you will not fail the midterm/final, so work hard all semester then just study what you’re shaky on for the midterm/final!
>Try the Pomodoro study method- The Pomodoro method helps you to use your time efficiently! With this method, the first 25 minutes are spent working then followed by a five-minute break to use the bathroom, walk around, snuggle your pets, or grab a snack! When those five minutes are up, it’s back to work for another 25 minutes. I find that giving myself a 10-minute break every hour helps me to stay on track or else I get bored from my textbooks. Find out what works best for you!
>Use a SelfControl or ColdTurkey- some days we get distracted- it happens to the best of us! So when I find I can’t stop myself from getting distracted I use one of these free online apps to block whatever websites on my laptop I tell it to. It’s amazing how much work gets done when I literally can’t get distracted by my Twitter feed.
>Take time to breathe- We’re all excited to return to our school routines and aim for those 4.0’s, but you cannot operate at 100% all the time. Schedule in ample time for breaks throughout your week! Give yourself an extra half hour to prep your dinner, or make a dinner date with your friends at Bruce and follow it up with some ice cream! After all, we’re at UNT to learn about what fascinates us and to prepare for our future jobs!
