For me, this quarantine has led to many Netflix marathons, a lot of free time, and many new hobbies. The idea of going straight into classes and having to be productive was something that I'd been thinking about a lot recently. That being said, I knew I needed something to get my mind back in the mode to be ready for school to start.
Here are some tips to help you with the transition to a productive semester!
Get a Planner:
Writing in a planner will help you to organize your schoolwork as well as social activities. My piece of advice to keeping a planner is to choose a different color for each class and cross off completed tasks. These two actions create more motivation for me to complete each of my items!
Make Lists:
Whether the list is for each day, week, or month, they are very helpful. This goes along with a planner but can be used for more repetitive tasks such as laundry, cleaning your room, and self-care. My advice is to create a weekly list with something you have to complete along with something for fun. This will create a balance within your life and schedule.
Don’t be on your phone as much:
Set a limit of time you can use your phone, or create time periods where your phone won’t be near you to create a more focused environment. This time will let your mind focus on school or even a time to just relax. My advice is to set daily limits for social media apps as well as turning off your phone an hour before you plan to go to sleep. This will lead to a more relaxed mind and will help you sleep.
Create habits:
Try to complete tasks at the same time each day to create a habit. For example, online classes can become overwhelming. My advice is to complete your work for an online class at the same time every day so there is a more structured system within your schoolwork.
Find a study style that works best for you:
Going back to campus is going to be different which means your study habits might have to change as well. Explore different work styles. These could include making notecards, rereading notes, rewriting notes, or creating Quizlets. This also includes finding a space that works well for you to study.
Meeting new people:
Try to meet people in your classes. This might be harder for online classes, but as the semester goes on it will become easier. You can meet people through your zoom lectures, assignments, or group projects. Meeting new people in your classes will help both of you motivate one another. You also have many other options for meeting new people such as finding people through where you live or even joining a new organization.
Take time for yourself:
My last tip for this semester is to take time for yourself. This includes taking time to take care of your wellbeing. Right now is a very stressful and unknown time where safety and mental health are very important. Take time to relax as well as eating well and staying healthy. Talk to your friends and family to make sure everyone is doing okay around you.
Overall, start this semester strong. You’re going to do great and we will get through this!