One student shares her tips on facing the coming months
It is that amazing time of the year again – start of term. A new semester that is filled with excitement, because for many, getting through the winter semester means we are closer to having a break from school for the summer months.
A new semester is an amazing beginning. It means that we can work hard towards our academic goals, improve our GPAs, and get better grades than the fall semester.
However, it can also mean exhaustion, especially because many of us are still exhausted from the fall semester, even after having taken a break. Because of this, I want to give you advice on how to make this winter semester yours, and how to succeed.
For starters, organize your time. You can do this by getting a planner or using digital platforms such as Notion to schedule out your semester. Figure out how you plan on juggling your classes, work, and internship. Organizing your time makes it easier to stay on top of your deadlines and commitments. It also allows you to know what is waiting for you, and as a result, you can plan things out in accordance to your schedule. Furthermore, determine what times are your busy days or weeks during the semester and the windows where you’ll have more spare time.
Secondly, set realistic goals. Break your goals into smaller, achievable habits and goals that you can accomplish over time. Think of it like university. It takes four to five years, and is an extremely long process. However, each and every single day of those four years is leading you towards your graduation. All of those days, as exhausting as they might be, and as rigorous as they are, add up over time. This is what I mean by breaking your goals into smaller, achievable, day-to-day habits that you can accomplish.
Please, prioritize your health. It is so important. Don’t exhaust yourself. Your body will shut down and you have a higher chance of getting sick. It is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when.
Find time for yourself each day where you can indulge in self-care activities, do something for yourself, and reset your mind so that you can wake up feeling refreshed the next day. Sleep is so important, my friends. You need to treat sleep like a serious relationship. It is a reflection of the relationship that you have with your body. Sleep allows your mind to rest, it allows your body to rest, not to mention it is important for memory retention during midterm and finals week.
Build connections with your professors. This is the most important piece of advice that I can offer. Having strong connections with your professor builds your professional network. It allows you to have people whom you can use as your reference, and people that might write your letters of recommendation when you decide to apply to graduate school, programs, and fellowships. Professors serve as strong academic references. They are important to building your career.
Lastly, take time to reflect and reset after each week ends. This means going over your planner and what happened that week and seeing what went well, what did not go well, and what you can work on. This allows you to be in a state of self-reflection and self-awareness, and in the end, it helps you to be the best version of yourself and take advantage of this semester, rather than letting it drag you down.
