After a nice, month-long break, getting back into the school mindset is undeniably daunting. New classes, new schedule, and tons of work. While I know syllabus week is notorious for being a time to let loose before the "real" work hits, you should use it to prepare yourself for what is to come (or, in my case, what has already been assigned). Here are some tips to conquer the start of the semester.
1. Get enough sleep.
As soon as week two hits, your sleep schedule will dissipate. Try to sleep an adequate amount in order to make sure you are staying healthy.
2. Plan out a schedule.
At the beginning of the semester, make a plan for each day of the week. For example, my Monday's of the spring semester will look like this:
9:00-10:00 a.m.- Gym
11:40-5:00-Class
5:30-9:00 Reading, homework, papers
11:30 p.m.- Get ready for bed
Roughly, plan out each day of your week like so and try your best to stick to this schedule. Having a routine, while seemingly boring, helps you to maximize your time and remain sane and organized when the work strikes.
3. Get all of your books.
If you want to be ahead of the game, you could go online and look up which books you need for each class. If not, see what books your teacher has on the syllabus and order them ASAP. There's nothing worse getting an assigned reading Week 2 and not having the book yet. Be prepared!
4. Use a planner!
Embarrassingly enough, my planner is literally my best friend. Each time I get a new syllabus, I go through my planner and write down each day I have an assigned test, quiz, or a paper is due. Every day, write down your required readings/homework and cross it out when you're done. Not only does it help you remain organized, it is SO satisfying to watch assignments get crossed off your list.
5. If you want to get really fancy, keep things color coded.
Because I have so many classes within the same overarching subjects, differentiating between my classes gets a little tricky. Try to stay color coded. Whenever I get homework for a specific class, I write it down in pink, which is the color of the notebook and folder I use for that class. Assign a color for each course!
6. Get an idea of what your semester is about to look like.
Going in blindly is never a good idea. If you plan out your semester and see what is due when, approximately how much work each class will take, etc., you won't be as shocked when you find out you have two papers and a test all on the same day. This way you can plan in advance and assure you have enough time to complete everything you need to!
Good luck this semester!
