How to Rock this Semester
Hey huskies! Many of us are probably feeling some dread as the semester starts up this week. Getting started after the five-plus week winter break is always a struggle. But, as a second semester senior, I think I’ve gathered a few tips that make starting the semester much easier and help me make the entire 15 weeks more manageable and even fun!
Use a planner.
I know many of you may be thinking, “I haven’t used a planner since my school made me use one in elementary school.” But, I promise you that it is helpful. I use mine to keep track of homework, exams, organization meetings, study sessions, etc. In a nutshell, I use it for my whole life. I even make note of trips home, birthdays of friends and family, and other important things I need to remember. I understand that not everyone would benefit from using it as much as I do, but I absolutely see a benefit to using it at least for class-related items. Using a planner makes it easier to stay on track with homework and plan study time, leaving more time for fun with your friends.
Make a schedule.
Using your handy new planner, make a schedule for yourself. This could even be something you write on a sheet of paper, in a note in your phone, on your phone calendar, or anywhere else that makes sense for you. But, making a schedule for study groups, homework and study time, workouts, etc. is a great way to ensure you get everything you need done, and it can help you manage your free time to be more productive. This is college; we want to do well in school, but we also need to allow ourselves time to have fun. So, sticking to a schedule will make school work more manageable, which will in turn give you more time to spend doing whatever it is you do for fun.
Meal-Prep
I know this trend is sweeping the “Fitsta” and fitness blogger/vlogger community, but it actually can be helpful for anyone, even if you are not trying to lose weight or focus on fitness. We all have to eat, and when we are balancing school, work, and friends, sometimes it is overwhelming. Having a day each week you grocery shop and plan meals will save you time and frustration. You could use that day to make a few staples that meals could be planned around later in the week such as a protein like chicken or pasta. You don’t have to do this for everyday of the week, but even planning out meals for a few days at a time, especially for your busiest days, can save you a lot of time and make eating simple.
Make “class friends”
We all have our friend groups. We love them, but they do not always make the best study partners. I love my roommates and friends, but I can only get work done with a select few of them, and that’s really only when we have a huge project or exam that needs our attention. So, making “class friends,” or people who you study with and talk about assignments with, even if you don’t hang out outside of the library, is a great way to find study buddies, stay on track in class, and they just make going to class more fun.
Self-Care
As college students, we’re always busy. Like I mentioned above, we are balancing social lives, class, work, and more. So, self-care is often neglected. But, we need to prioritize it, especially in an era where mental health issues like anxiety and depression seem to be running rampant across the nation. Self-care is not all bubble baths and face masks. Self-care is taking any steps necessary to treat yourself, body and mind, better. It might be minimizing social media use, meditation, reading a book, taking time each week to hang out with friends without mention of school, etc. Self-care comes in countless ways. Treat yourself however you need to be the most successful and healthy version of yourself.
I hope you enjoyed these tips! Rock this semester by adapting a few or coming up with your own ways to make the most of these next few months.
