Can you hear that? That’s the sound of typing on laptops, flipping through textbooks, and coffee being poured at 2 a.m. That’s right: spring semester is starting.
If you’re feeling stressed or nervous because you’ve been binge-watching Netflix all winter break, I feel you. If you’re exhausted because you took a class over break and have to jump right into the new semester, I apologize and send you a mental fruit basket. No matter how badly we want vacation to last, we have to return to reality.
To make your return to school easier, I have come up with a few ideas that will help you relax and prepare you for your classes.
Plan it out.
Buy a planner or a notebook. Write down the tasks you need to get done, whether it’s seeing an advisor or looking for a job. Getting things out of your head and writing them down on paper is a good step toward actually doing them. Write assignments down in your planner every time your teacher assigns you something. It takes 10 seconds and prevents you from freaking out late at night when you can’t remember what pages you were supposed to read.
Get organized.
Having a planner is a good way to stay on top of things, but you need to actually use it. I’m guilty of buying a fancy planner and forgetting all about it. I always liked the idea of being organized and productive. But it’s not only a new semester—it’s a new year. So let’s make a resolution to use our planners every day. We can even color code them! Keep your folders and notebooks organized too. This will save you that mini panic attack that you’ll have halfway into the semester when your professor randomly asks you to take out that one assignment from the beginning of the semester.
Study sooner.
I know it’s easy to put off studying until the night before. At first, you’re relaxed and can do other things, but then you realize you have to memorize five chapters in one night and you’re drinking eight cups of coffee with jittery hands wondering if you’ll ever graduate. Been there, done that. Let’s not repeat this—study for that test 20 minutes each day for a week. This will relieve stress and better prepare you. You can study while you’re cooking dinner, working out, or having lunch with a friend.
These are all simple and easy ways to stay calm during the semester. It’s important to remember to not procrastinate. Plan, organize and get things done on time. If you need motivation, get your friends to follow these steps with you or watch those inspirational Nike videos on YouTube. Cheers to a new year and new semester!
