With one semester to go before the end of the academic year, it’s important for students to continue to practice healthy habits for achieving academic success. Sometimes our busy college course loads make it difficult to abide by a fixed schedule, but having a schedule provides a dependable organizational structure to your potentially hectic lifestyle.
Even though the workload during syllabus week is relatively nonexistent, the best way to start out the semester is by attending all classes and ensuring that you fully understand what each professor is expecting from you for the rest of the semester. Networking with your professors and fellow classmates is crucial to success during any semester because maintaining a healthy relationship with your professor can lead to possible internships or job opportunities later on. It also confirms that your schedule is perfect – you may walk in on the first day and hate the class, but you still have time to drop it.
Some professors are harder to get to know than others. Checking out online resources such as ratemyprofessor.com is a great way to find out if the professor is a good fit for your learning style.
The Internet is good for more than just researching your professors – it’s perfect for buying books online. It is often a smarter move than buying them from the school bookstore because you can skip the long lines and, more often than not, get a better deal on the books you need.
Although it can be stressful to reach out to your classmates, it’s important to form relationships with them. Being in an environment where you don’t personally know anyone prevents you from fully engaging in discussions as well as limits the resources at your disposal for grasping the class content. If you’re having difficulties with a certain topic, the friends you’ve made in class might be able to help you understand the concepts in a way that your professor can’t.
It’s also important to review the material that you’ve learned. A vital part of studying is taking good notes while you’re in class, whether it be with a paper and pencil or digitally. Studying alone works well for some people. If that’s your style then your best bet is to find a quiet place to review your notes.
Not everyone learns best alone though. For those of you who learn better in a group environment, getting together with the new friends you’ve made to go over class material might be just what you need.
Now that you’ve established a good relationship with the people around you in your classes, it’s time to focus more on yourself. Taking care of yourself is important because it’ll make you more confident and confidence goes a long way in and out of the classroom.
Exercise is an important part of taking care of yourself. Not only will it keep you in shape, but it’ll also relieve the stress that’s building up from your new classes. Plus, you’ll look good for Feb. 14, which is right around the corner. It might sound like common sense, but remember to shower after you workout – your first impression should be based on your personality, not your body odor.
Once you’ve got the process down pat – connecting with students and teachers and taking care of yourself, make sure to set aside a time to rest. Everyone rests in different ways. Whether it be laying in your bed watching endless episodes on Netflix or just hanging out with a group of friends on a Friday night, be sure to set aside a time where you can relax and unwind. Don’t be afraid to reward yourself for working hard. Remember, college isn’t justabout schoolwork.
Tomas Olivier and John Jacobs are features editors and both can be reached at features@ubspectrum.com
