As the first week of spring semester is underway at my college it is important for everyone (including myself) to get off to a strong start. Usually the first week isn't loaded up with a lot of class assignments or projects, also it is almost a guarantee that there won't be any major tests the first two weeks into the semester.

Even though this is the case, it doesn't mean that syllabus week should be treated as a week-long vacation with all of the college friends you haven't seen since last semester. This isn't the case for everyone, but since being back I have seen people going out every night so far this week either to the bars or to college parties due to the fact that it is "silly week". The tone may come across as me saying not to have fun, I feel that everything should be done in balance.

I feel that getting off to a strong start in the semester can be very helpful when all the large assignments or tests happen roll in at the same time and things can get overwhelming. The first week is also a good time to get back into the flow of being productive and creating a daily routine.

There are probably some students who will miss some of their classes in the first week because there isn't much material that will be covered in the first couple of classes. And why wake up before 10 when sleeping in sounds so much more appealing? Well if you have early classes it's best to get in the habit of waking up early for them even if it may seem pointless to go to class on the first day. For me I took 2 winter session classes that met every day for 5 weeks, so it's safe to say I don't have the highest motivation to try and get ahead during the first week. It doesn't make much sense that there is only the weekend that separates the end of winter session and the beginning of spring semester.

I can remember that I would do some homework or online assignments that were available ahead of time when I was able to. Sometimes it would take a little longer to do this because I would be learning new material that we haven't covered in class yet, but this gave me the opportunity to get a look at what was coming up and that way I could get clarification if I struggled with the material. When I got a homework assignment done ahead of time it would feel nice knowing I wouldn't have to squeeze it in the day before it was due, and just checking another thing off that would come up on the daily task list.

While it seems like the prime time to have fun in the first week, just remember to try and find a healthy balance and to develop a schedule that works for you. If you have the opportunity to read ahead in the textbook or knock out some homework that is coming up, at least give it a shot to familiarize with some new material. It might not seem like a huge deal, but falling behind early can create more anxiety and stress than usual, which is never a good feeling.