It's cold, oh so cold, indicating that fall has finally landed and now the mid-terms and fall break is also here!! You may be thinking, where did the time go? Is it already halfway through the semester? Why yes!! Time for rejoicing, and also the panic might be setting in about all the work that needs to be done. Not to worry, I am here to guide you through your halfway mark in the semester, just sit back and write some notes.
Here we are! Halfway through this wonderful place we call college and it's for the fall semester! There is no better time than now to start realizing that there are many projects and papers coming up that need to be done. Those syllabi aren't there for nothing, they're your guideline, your planner for the whole semester, as obnoxious as that can be. I am going to write some tips for you before you have a mental breakdown about what to do before the beginning of the end...of the semester that is.
1. Write a List!!
Some people are not visual learners, trust me I know, but there is nothing easier to do than writing a checklist about all the future projects and papers that need to be done. This could make your mind a little more organized, you can also do it in chronological order so you know what is coming up first. You can also organize it by hardest to easiest, that way you can get the harder things out of the way first, start breaking them down. Even if you don't have a lot to make a list, break down the one big paper or project you have, crossing off items is very satisfying and gives you positive reinforcement to move on!
2. Recollect on the First Part of the Semester
I know this seems weird and maybe be a little out there, but this technique does work. Don't keep making yourself overwhelmed by looking at all the work that needs to be done, take a step back and breathe. Think about the first months of the semester, think of all you have accomplished so far and how you have made it to this point. We as humans, love to think of the future and make ourselves get anxiety over how much we have to do, rarely do we think of our accomplishments and all the good of the past. This can motivate you to move forward and know you have it in you to make it to the end!
3. Make a Schedule
This might seem obvious but there are a lot of people who do not make themselves a schedule of their future assignments. At this point in the semester, most of us have a routine, get up at a certain time, whether or not we eat, or work. And this should help us make a schedule for our assignments, what events are coming up that we want to go to, make free time for ourselves, and when to study. There are plenty of opportunities for you to make sure you aren't getting jumbled at the end, just write it out, find time, and cross off your short terms goals.
4. Write in Free Time
I know this also seems obvious, but there are people who never let themselves relax or breathe or go out. This is for those people, write in some time for yourselves, make sure you get a few hours a week to have fun, unwind, and not think. There are plenty of plans you can make for yourself, go to the gym, watch some Netflix, go out to dinner or movies with friends, just take a walk outside. These are a few, but do what makes you happy and forget for just a short time about the work, and once you're rejuvenated, come back and move on.
5. Remember, It's Not the End of the World
This is all so much to take in, but know that this isn't the end of the world, you will survive. College is a lot, trust me I know, but it is also can be one of the best experiences of your life. You are capable of anything, and this is nothing. Studying and working is all you need to do, just do it in pieces, one step at a time, you got this. All you have to do is just take a step back and get yourself organized. You will make it, just keep going!!
