Jennie's Tip of the Week: Get Back on Track for Second Semester!

Getting back on track for second semester is crucial, but it can also be very difficult.  As a second semester senior, I find myself struggling to get back into the swing of things more than ever.  After winter break, which is never long enough, we all need to readjust to classes, homework, quizzes, and getting up earlier than we'd like.  After all of my semesters here I've come up with some great ways to make sure you get back on track as soon as possible.

1.  Write all due dates from your syllabi in your planner.  Getting back into the habit of checking your syllabi and your planner is crucial.  It's extremely easy to forget about assignments when you're readjusting to being back at school, but if you write everything down you're much more likely to remember.  Another great thing about writing out all of your assignments is that you can see when you'll be busiest.  For example, if you have a busy week in early March, it will be easier to plan ahead and get your work done in an efficient manner.  

2.   Choose specific times to study and do homework and stick to it!  Once you get into the middle of the semester it will be more natural to fill in gaps of time with homework and studying.  However, that is not necessarily the case at the very beginning of the semester.  Everyone is back and excited to see each other.  I understand that students would much rather spend their time catching up and hanging out with friends, but classes are starting to move more quickly and you do not want to fall behind.  The best advice I can give you all is to set aside time to hang out with friends and time to do your work.  A balanced schedule is the best way to stay on track.

3.  Get involved on campus.  The best way to ensure that your time management skills kick in is to stay somewhat busy.  Do not overload yourself, but keeping involved in extracurricular activities forces you to find time to do your work.  If you are already part of an organization, have a job, or both, keep going with it! If you did not join anything last semester, look on campus pulse and see what there is to offer!  There are hundreds of opportunities to get involved on campus.  Not only will you have a schedule to follow, which many people find helpful, you will make new friends who may have similar interests or could be taking similar classes.  You could find the perfect study buddy!

4.  See an advisor.  In order to make sure you are definitely on track, meet with an advisor.  Even if you are pretty sure you know where you're going with the semester, it never hurts to run your plan by someone else.  Advisors want to be sure that you've considered all of your options and that you are happy with your class schedule.  Not only can they look over your schedule with you, but they can show you resources you may need to utilize this semester.

Remember to stay on track this semester! Good luck everyone!