Twice a year, college students deal with a new semester beginning. A new semester can be exciting. New classes, more time with friends, opportunities for new friends, new opportunities for careers and memories, etc. A new semester can be treated as a new year, with a change in habits and such.
Many students go into a new semester wanting to attain better grades, study habits or even new internships/job opportunities. Here are several ways to start a new semester right and lead it to a successful and happy one.
1. Make a planner and record everything.
Many college students aren't the best at time management, which is a skill usually best learned during the college years. After syllabus day, get all of your syllabi together and make note of important due dates and exam dates.
Going into a new week aware of what is due will make you more adequately prepared to deal with all assignments. Also, having all your test dates noted will allow you to have more time to prepare for exams and review, which means your test grades will probably be better.
2. Attend every class.
Attending class is very important, as corny as it sounds. Sometimes it gets really cold, we're tired or just plain lazy, and we don't feel like going to class. Last semester, I was either really exhausted from working, lazy, or plain disinterested in my classes. I hardly attended any classes (and I had class five days a week, for 17 credits).
I got a B-/C in classes I could've gotten Bs in and Bs in classes I could've gotten As in. Going to class teaches you new material through the professor, in a way where you can easily visualize things and take notes. More often than not, professors go over the material with a lot of examples, as well as hint at possible exam questions. Being more prepared for exams will lead to better grades.
3. Take care of yourself.
It is very easy to neglect your health. Between work, classes, homework, extracurriculars and partying, there are not enough hours in the day.
In college, we often do all-nighters to finish assignments and cram for tests. In the last semester, I frequently pulled all-nighters and late closing shifts at work, which left me tired and not well enough to attend classes. Eating healthy and exercising will also make you more likely to do better.
4. Find something you love in your spare time.
College can be a stressful time. It is very easy to feel overwhelmed, but it doesn't have to be a miserable experience. College is a time where you have the freedom to explore your interests and passions. I entered college wanting to be a doctor, but I had a big passion for photography. I declared a bio-chem major eagerly, ready to take on any challenge.
As each semester went by, I grew more disinterested in my science and math courses and the drive to be a doctor became less existent. I became even more interested in my photography, building a base on Instagram and connecting with other photographers.
Slowly I began to realize that my passion and career should be centered around media and photography, leading to a major change. Finding something you're interested in can change your whole life.
Applying even one of these changes can make an impact on not only your semester or your college career, but also your life. Cheers to a new semester!
