My fellow students,
The end is near, literally, right around the corner guys. I know there could have been some loss of motivation from previous test/assignments, or just adjusting to college as a whole. But we only have a couple semesters left so here is a little bit of advice we can use to help us end off well! I will give you guys 7 tips on how to end the semester off right. As well as still being sane at the end of it.
1. KEEP AN ORGANIZED PLANNER – One thing that could have happened was we lost focus and we got very unorganized. This could be a “fresh” start. If you feel as though through the semester it hasn’t been the best, start over. Get new notebooks, start over in your planner and reintroduce yourself to professors. Make sure to write down upcoming assignments, go to EVERY class, and be sure of when your final exams are and what they consist of. Color-coding would be a great way to help for the different classes that you are taking.
2. LEAVE REMINDERS FOR YOURSELF – Going along with having an organized planner, it is important to have a separate wall calendar or desk calendar. We as students sometimes do not pick up our book-bag unless we have class or assignments due. Having those reminders in your room and/or in your phone could really help. The last thing we want to do at the end of the semester is to forget an assignment. We cannot afford to do that especially when wanting to improve a grade. In laying out the most important deadlines in two different places, you give yourself two opportunities to remember what you may have going on in your life. Another thing that can be helpful would be sticky notes. Put them EVERYWHERE!
3. SET DAILY GOALS – Setting daily goals for yourself is a big aspect of finishing off the semester strong. Just create a task for each day, everyday. We have to use that time in between classes and make the most of it. My motto is “Do better than yesterday, everyday.” Continue to reach a goal by the end of the semester and be the best you can be. Setting a benchmark to reach each day, and making sure to follow that goal, can help keep assignments in order, making sure that they don’t pile up or get forgotten.
4. STAY HEALTHY – Stay healthy! This is the time we can get sick and we, as students, cannot afford that. You want to prepare so when finals week comes you are perfectly fine. You want to delete as many distractions as possible. I know you guys flex points and meal swipes are running low but be conservative. You want to stay hydrated and keep food in your stomach. Try to start off with something in the morning. Even if you can’t get a whole breakfast, pick up something small. Piece of fruit, an orange, maybe a banana. Even a little food bar. But keep something in your stomach. And if you cook, put time aside to prepare your meal. Tell your roommate to take out the chicken or whatever the case may be. But prepare yourself to cook because this is time consuming. And MOST importantly, drink your water EVERYDAY!
5. SLEEP – It’s imperative that you make sure to try and get a full night’s sleep. With deadlines looming and exams on their way, time devoted to schoolwork can begin to bleed into time that should be spent sleeping. I know we all try to do the all-nighters but overall it hurts us and cramming almost never works. The next day is always the worst and we can’t afford to miss any days due to lack of sleep. Try “The Calm” app if you are having issues. But make sure you get as much sleep as possible before giving the day your all.
6. TREAT YOURSELF- One thing that we do is work, work, work. This is stressful and can be unmanageable sometimes. One thing I am big on is “me time.” Get your self-care in because without it, you probably won’t be able to focus. Do what makes you happy and set some time away for yourself. You want to be able to relax just as much as you want to do work.
7. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVITY- We are at the end of the semester and it is easy to lose some of the motivation. Make sure that you are around those who have the same goals as you. You want to finish strong, make sure those around you want to do the same thing. Share ideas and elevate one another to become great. Another motto I go by is “focus on being around those who are focus.” You are essentially the company you keep. Remember that and notice the outcome when it is all done.
So remember to finish out the semester strong: Stay organized, leave reminders for yourself, set daily goals, stay healthy, SLEEP, treat yourself, and surround yourself with positivity.
