Its come to that time of the year when all this school work and classes everyday is becoming quite monotonous; it’s hard to get out of bed, you have to trick yourself into getting homework done, and anything seems better than writing that four-page essay you have due Sunday at midnight. I get it, I’m there too, and the struggle is even more difficult now that I am in college. Some stubborn part of my subconscious doesn’t understand that why I need to do even more school after 12 years of non-stop classes. I want to be done!
Here’s some advice for those of you who are in the same spot I am in, some ideas of how to survive the semester without simply giving up and dropping out (don’t lie, you’ve thought about it).
1. Procrastinate
I know this is the worst advice in the world, but if you have reached the point where the word “productive” isn’t even in your vocabulary anymore, procrastinate, but procrastinate in a wise way. I am the type of person that can get a lot of things done under pressure, I get the bulk of an assignment done at 3am the day before it is due, but only because I spent the day before lying on the ground thinking about how much I really didn't want to do it. Procrastination works well for me, it gives me a surge of panicked fervor that I use to power through any homework, and I do it well. And, as a bonus, the time that I actually neglect I get to spend watching dumb movies or hanging out with friends. I don’t get much sleep at night, but hey, 4.0 baby.
2. Skim your reading
Yes, more bad advice, but just like procrastination, if you do it the right way it can work well. If your professor assigns you a ridiculous amount of reading that leaves your brain screaming, skim it. Particularly in my history class where novel-like PDF readings are assigned daily, this skill has saved my life. The trick is to go through and read the introduction, the conclusion, and the first sentence of every paragraph therein of each reading. Both the introduction and the conclusion should give a summarization of what the piece is about, and the first sentence of every paragraph outlines what each paragraph talks about. If you are feeling a little more productive than usual, go through and rewrite in your own words what each paragraph is about in the margins so you can easy refer to it later; you can also box or circle dates and statistics that might be useful in the future. Skim, but skim the right way.
3. Find a study space
If you NEED to study but can’t seem to keep yourself from getting distracted, find a studying environment. Chances are, your dorm room isn’t going to cut it. I’m an advocate for separating your space of living and studying. I’ve started going to “homework parties” with my friends where we literally all collect in the lobby of dorm halls and do our homework. It is a good environment because everyone else is doing their homework and it gives you someone to complain to. If you have really good friends, they will encourage you to study, pick you up off the ground and plop you down in front of your laptop. If this doesn’t work, there are libraries, study rooms, and empty classrooms. Designate a place for studying and don’t give yourself the chance to get distracted with something else
4. Bribe yourself
One of the best ways to get things done is to bribe yourself into doing them. Separate homework assignments with episodes of your favorite TV show, then each time you get an essay done (or, more realistically, part of an essay done), you give yourself a little reward and break for doing it. Of course, this takes more time and doesn’t leave room for procrastination, so be wise. Food also works; give yourself a gummy bear every time you read a paragraph out of a textbook. Whatever works to get it done.
5. Write letters to your loved ones in preparation of running away
Okay, hear me out on this one. This actually worked more than I thought it would. To be honest, however, the first letter I wrote was in anticipation of actually running away, but after I wrote it, I found a new sense of productivity that I didn’t think still existed in my body. The first one I wrote was to my best friend at college, I explained to her why I was leaving, that I couldn’t do school anymore, and that I was going to run away, change my name, and start a new life. Writing it, consequently, got my creative juices flowing. I wrote one of the best essays I’ve ever written after writing that letter just because I revved the creative engine in my brain a bit. Also, through writing those letters, you realize that there are reasons to stay. Whether it be wanting to see your best friend again or realizing that running away takes effort AND money, something will convince you to stay. And, if at the end of writing the letter you still want to run away, you have something to leave behind.
6. Write a to-do list
Whenever I write a to-do list of all the homework I need to get done I always find myself getting it done quicker. It’s like a competition with yourself, and no one likes to have blank check boxes at the end of the day. It also forces yourself to follow a schedule. The best thing to do is throw in a few “fun” to-dos, tasks that are easy to complete but that will give you a sense of accomplishment when you check them off the list. Some of my favorites include “pet the first dog you see walk by your dorm window” or “lie on the ground and scream about how much you don’t want to do your homework” or “learn the whole Fresh Prince of Bell-Air rap and perform it for your friends.” Sometimes there is even choreography.
7. C's get degrees
I don’t suggest this for high school students who plan to go to college one day, but for you college students out there, here’s a fun mantra to live by. C’s get degrees! It’s not a bad mantra to live by. A letter C grade is an average grade, it’s hardly failing. In schools these days, students are taught that A’s and sometimes B’s are acceptable grades, which isn’t wrong, but the problem is they look down upon getting anything lower, and as a consequence, most students panic when they receive anything lower than a high B. Stop! Here’s a fun fact: employers don’t look at your GPA, they look at your experiences and skills. There really is no reason to stress over getting a lower grade. C isn’t even that low! If this is your mantra, good on you, maintaining a C takes effort too, and its not a D or an F. This is the perfect grade, I’m an advocate for the C (says the 4.0 student, oops). Grades give students unnecessary and often harmful stress levels, and the further I fall into the void of indolence, the more I realize that my mental health is more important than my grades. You stop needing your GPA when you graduate, but you’re stuck with your body forever, take care of it, don’t stress. It’s okay to settle for a C here and again.
