Thanksgiving break was here and gone in the blink of an eye and lots of tryptophan later. You're back at school now and probably thinking what a tease. Take a deep breath. You have about 2 more weeks left and then finals week is just around the corner.
Take another deep breath and wipe the sweat from your furrowing brow. If you're having trouble swallowing this news, just remember you're in the home stretch and soon you get another break.
Grab your coffee. It's time to get down to business and finish the semester strong.
First things first, refocus your attention. Your mini-break was loads of fun and I'm sure catching up with your friends from home has got you reminiscing on the good ole days of high school. Excellent, now back to reality. Make a plan for yourself. Literally write it down. Remember your goals. You're paying thousands of dollars each semester for college, what do you want to get out of it? You want a grown up job as opposed to your dead-end minimum wage part-time gig? You have to work for it, keep your eye on the prize. Remember: a goal without a plan is just a wish.
Get organized. It may seem self-explanatory, but students forget the simple things. Find a study place with the least amount of distractions. Do you study best in the library, Starbucks, your room? Wherever you work best, find that place, and claim it as your space for the next 3 weeks. Tidy your desk, sort through your notes, sharpen your pencils.
Be productive. Put your phone away. Remember the goal and then do what it takes to achieve that goal. When it's study time, it's study time and nothing else. Make it count or else you're just wasting your time. Review your notes, rewrite your notes, and type your notes. Then, read them out loud.
Take another deep breath and remember to take time for yourself and relax. Get enough sleep at night. Notice I said night and not day. It is recommended that adults get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Skip the all-nighters and the lazy daytime catnaps. Take a walk, eat a snack, listen to music, drink some water. For your own sanity, give yourself breaks in between study sessions.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. You pay tuition, therefore you would be completely bonkers not to use the resources your university provides you. Seek help from the writing center or find a tutor. You can always visit your professor during office hours to get further clarification on assignments. Another great option is to form a study group with fellow classmates or find a study buddy that will help keep you motivated.
Whatever you do, don't give up. Take a deep breath. Winter is coming.