Although the Spring semester has just begun, it’s never too early or too late to think about what you can do to improve your success throughout the semester. When people think about their success at school, they often focus only on their academics: doing well on exams, studying, and participating in class. However, there is more than one variable to the equation when it comes to a student’s overall success. In order to be successful this semester, make sure to remember a few key things…
1. Time Management: During the semester it’s easy to get swept away in the stress of having multiple assignments due for different subjects, sometimes even on the same day, coupled with social obligations, and personal matters. Planning out each day with how much time you would like to spend on things such as homework, working out, hanging out with friends, and self-care will help to eliminate any overwhelming feelings of anxiety or stress.
2. Be Organized: Organization looks different for everyone. Find a system that is tailored towards your personal strengths. There are so many tools out there to aid your success. Some helpful tools to consider using are google calendar, the remind app, sticky note on your laptop, and MyStudyLife.
3. Know How to Communicate: Possessing the means to effectively communicate is key. Whether you are casually talking to your best friend or formally addressing an email to your professor, it’s a good idea to be conscious of what language you are using, what tone you’re putting forth, and the overall message you would like to relay. The better one becomes at this skill, the easier it will be to approach others, and build meaningful relationships.
4. Lean on Your Support System: It’s okay to ask for help! No matter what semester of school you’re in, there is always stress filled moments. It’s normal to feel like courses are a lot of work and sometimes your sheer effort does not match the grade, or some piece of your life just isn’t fitting into the overall puzzle. In those moments, reach out to others: your parents, your friend, a professor, or a professional. There are so many people who want to see you succeed and sometimes you just need a reminder of how much you have overcome in the past and how much you will continue to overcome in the future.
5. Seek Perspective: Be mindful of your personal perspective. When you feel like a situation isn’t going your way, or your day is jam-packed with task you don’t particularly feel like doing, remember why you are there in the first place. Strive to be the person who can take any negative day and still pluck out all the positives that happened.
6. Have Confidence: Believe in yourself! Having confidence is something you must work towards every day, but when you break the term down into smaller tasks, it seems less scary. Focus on smaller goals such as setting boundaries, speaking up for yourself, taking the time to listen to others, making peace with the fact that it’s okay to make mistakes, and remember that you are more often than not your own worst enemy.
7. Balance is Key: Having balance is always this familiar concept that is preached to us from many different directions. However, to have a sense of balance in life is a lot easier said than done. To have balance means to have various categories of events implemented to your everyday life. A person should strive to follow set work hours, reward themselves with things such as self-care, hanging out with friends, or doing another activity to destress throughout the week. Lastly, to improve balance make sure to reflect on how you divide your time throughout your week. Reflect on your actions, short term goals, your mental health, and adjust from there!
