Well, the first few weeks of school have gone by and I know I'm super happy I got through them, actually. The first day of school always makes me kind of nervous, so I did cry a little I'll admit, but it's okay. I know that these past weeks were undoubtedly the easiest parts of the entire semester, so getting into the hustle of the school semester is kind of a struggle, I know.

I know there are certain things that work for everyone, because we're all so different, but I think these ideas are worth sharing, because new advice is always helpful!

1. First thing's first, go to class

You know that schedule for this semester you made right before Spring registration that you might've spent weeks perfecting, even while considering that those classes could get filled up and you needed a backup plan. TRY OUT THAT SCHEDULE GUYS! Also, you know, class is important and stuff...

2. Pay Attention to that Syllabus

I know people kind of blow off the professor when they talk about the syllabus, but I'd say it's actually pretty important to survive the class tbh, especially if they put the class schedule outlined where the exam and homework due dates are outlined. Also, the sooner you do find your required texts and buy/rent them, the more you're saving yourself from waiting in those super long bookstore lines.

3. Try to Study for at least 10 minutes after class or even throughout the day

I know, I know, the school year is just starting and classes are still kind of slow for now, but they'll come at ya fast, I promise. Doing this sooner rather than later will really benefit you down the road of the class, especially around exam time!

4. Start Using TA Office Hours

Personally, I don't study with friends/classmates for every class, and that's because I find TA office hours so helpful. Since TAs are usually the people who grade all of the exams, homework assignments, etc, it would be helpful to visit them so that way you'll know what they're looking for, and you'll get that A.

5. Use Tutoring Services

If you're a CNS major (At UT), I totally recommend using Sanger, because wow I can't tell y'all how much it saved me in classes, really. The tutoring sessions that I've found most helpful were for biology classes, chemistry classes, and their respective labs. Seriously, I can't stress the importance of this service enough! Also for writing based classes, the University Writing Center is super helpful! If you explain the assignment guidelines well enough and show them some of the information you've gathered, they'll offer you a ton of help by taking notes and letting you take your own notes that you can take home and incorporate into your future assignments!

6. If you need to, take a nap

I am surprised at how much naps really benefit people, me included. I'd say about 9/10 times you'll wake up feeling a lot more refreshed than you had been earlier! Although you might have some weird dreams when you wake up...I just know that in my experience, after I take my nap for however long, I'm ready to get back to work, because sometimes you just have to recharge, and that's perfectly ok.

7. Try to plan out your schedule/manage your time

This one is a toughie, I know, I really am still trying to do this, but it's SO WORTH IT. I think scheduling in little things like when to have lunch and when to switch from class to class is really beneficial, because it's good to work the different hemispheres of your brain (the left hemisphere is the logical side, so working on more of the analytical classes like math and science classes would help work this side, and the right hemisphere is the creative side, so subjects such as english and sociology will help work on this side)!

8. Change your Spotify Playlist

This is so minuscule, I know, but doing so has really helped me! On Spotify under Genres & Moods under Browse, there's a Focus and Chill section that I love to listen to while I'm studying for my classes. I find that it really gets me motivated, and the songs there aren't as hardcore as some in the other stations. I think a change of music is always nice, especially because I know I love to sing to every single song that I know.

9. Find an Activity that Gives You Some Stress Relief

The stress is real this semester (well every semester basically), so stress relieving activities are basically necessities. Some fun activities I love are watching TV shows, dancing by myself, and now, working out! How will you find time, you might ask? That all goes back to tip #7, but always remember to put yourself first. Your health and wellbeing should be your most important focus. I know I struggle to remember that a lot, but it's so reassuring to see everyone is so generous when wanting to help others! This tip also goes with tip #6 in that if you feel like you need a break to be still and recharge, you should definitely go for it, because school really isn't everything.

Really, this is just me throwing out suggestions that have worked for me, but I hope I can help some people! I hope you all have a great semester!