You might have had a rough past semester, but don't let that bring you down. There are always opportunities for improvement. Here are some tips that will help you have a successful start to a new semester. New semester, new me!
1. Kick the habit of procrastinating
Start the semester strong, by making sure you understand what each course requires, and plan accordingly so due dates and deadlines do not creep up on you. Knowing when things are going to be due, can help aid in procrastinating and give you the push you need to stay on top of coursework, and most importantly STOP procrastinating.
2. Get a calendar
Nothing is more overwhelming than going through each syllabus for your classes and trying to keep all the dates for projects, exams and homework being due. Getting a calendar will make it easier to visualize what needs to be done, and when. Having all of the months due dates out in front of you is way more productive than looking through each syllabus for each class, on a daily basis.
3. Work on your time management skills
The blessing of freedom and the power to make your own schedule becomes available once you enter college and being able to manage your time will aid in the failure or success of your semesters. Learning how to prioritize your free time and the time you need to set aside for school/work is very important if you want to start the semester off right. Yes, that party that's going on on Tuesday might be really fun and you want to go, but is it really worth missing an assignment or failing a test?
4. Planners are your friend
Many girls often have planners to write their homework in or to organize their time, but guys can do this too. Even if having an actual planner doesn't appeal to you, having a place to put all the information you need to stay organized, in one place, will be really helpful.
5. Don't fall behind
Nothing is worse than playing "catch up" with your classes, all because you didn't want to put the effort in at the start of a new semester. Setting aside 30 minutes a day for each class to make sure you understand the material will help you in the long run.
6. Go to office hours and get help from the start
Take advantage of professors office hours or times where they inform you that help will be available. Going for help and staying on top of your work will only help you in the end. Making sure the professor knows you are working hard from the start and not coming into their office at the last minute can really make or break your grade.
7. Flashcards are your friend
Taking the time to make flashcards will really be helpful when trying to study for an exam. As the course proceeds, making flashcards on an app or physically writing them out will make studying easier. Having a place or stack of cards pre-made can make narrowing down study material easier. Nothing is worse than scrambling around a week before an exam trying to make flashcards that will most likely never be looked at, after writing them.
8. Paraphrase your notes
Copying down the slides from your professor word by word will not make studying any easier for you. Write the notes out in a way that you will understand, and this will aid in you being able to recall the information. Paraphrasing a long set of slides from a powerpoint will cut down on the preparation that will be needed for an exam. Your notes will have only the most important information that was written in your words and this could help with a better comprehension of the material.
We all know the slogan everyone says, come January 1: "New Year, New Me." It's time to put a twist on that popular phrase and utilize it for the upcoming semester, "New Semester, New Me."
