It’s been a crazy semester for all of us.
Even if you aren’t taking an absurd ratio of three horrifically boring required classes to two classes you actually want to be in (what was I thinking?!?) or have some kind of hectic schedule or workload, these last few months haven’t been easy. Spring semester is always rough, you’re tired and cold and coming down with bugs and itching for a break longer than a month, but with the way New England’s weather has been acting things have only gotten worse. We’ve had so many snow days and class cancellations that I really feel like I’ve only been to some of my classes a handful of times. But, the fact remains, the semester is actually winding down. You’re through your midterms (unless you’re finishing them up this week, because of snow delays, like me!) and you’re going through your syllabi and thinking “how am I going to cram all this information in my head in a month?!” Whatever the case, I think we all need to get our heads on a little straighter before we head into finals week, and I’ve got three great tips to help you do it!
1.) Back away from the Internet.
I fully admit to falling victim to the charms of Facebook and Tumblr and having hours of my life slip away from me that could have been spent studying or reading for class. If memes, Cracked.com articles, or bad fanfiction are among your vices as well, peeling yourself off of the internet will help immensely in setting you on the right track for a good second half of the semester. It’s not easy, of course, especially if you’re a serial procrastinator, but as with almost everything…there’s an app for that. If you use Google Chrome, there’s a fabulous (and amusing) app called StayFocusd that lets you set the amount of time you are allowed to spend on certain time-wasting websites every day, and then blocks them when your time is up! I used it during finals last year and it saved me a lot of stress! If you use Firefox, there’s a similar application called LeechBlock.
2.) Get organized.
One of the biggest deterrents to getting schoolwork done is looking at your books, notes, and binders (even your dorm room!) and seeing an utter mess. Being disorganized not only makes it harder to remember what is due when, but the prospect of sorting through your things to get anything done is also exhausting to think about! Personally, I make To-Do lists. When I feel really stressed, I’ll plan out my whole day! Breaking tasks down into manageable items on a list can make things seem a lot less frightening and also give you a tangible sense of accomplishment when you cross something off! My favorite app for organization is Evernote, which allows you to make lists and reminders of all sorts and access them from any of your devices but, really, a pen and paper can work just as well!
3.) Talk to your professors!
They have office hours for a reason! Contrary to what we may sometimes think, most professors would much rather see you doing well and engaged in their material than staring at them in terror from the back of the room. If you’re looking at everything you’ve covered so far in class, and everything that is still to come, and you’re feeling overwhelmed…contact your professor! Even if you just need to be reassured that you aren’t failing, shooting a quick email their way and (politely) inquiring about where you stand and what you can to do improve will really help you feel better about yourself. I speak from experience here.
What is your strategy going into the end of the semester? What do you think is the number one way BSU students waste time?
