7 Habits to Transform Your Semester

Get Organized

Getting organized is the first step in creating a successful semester. Being organized not only makes things easier to find, but also allows for your space to be free from distractions. You can organize your desk, go through your clothes, throw out old school work, or even just clean your room. Returning all the items to their original space can create an organized environment.

Start Daily Routines

Starting daily routines can be beneficial for a successful semester. It allows you to anticipate what items need to be completed throughout the day and what small achievements you will accomplish. Starting a daily routine means you can set an alarm to wake up early, set aside time to workout, make time to journal/read, have time to do homework and assignments, and even make time for yourself because “me time” is very important too.

Ask for Help

Although it can be hard, asking for help when you are struggling or unsure can make the semester so much more successful. If you are struggling in a class, ask the professor or attend their office hours for extra help. It’s important to consider that asking for help is okay and helping yourself will allow you to succeed in the class. If asking a professor or TA is too much, ask friends or classmates for assistance on an assignment or go to your closest tutoring office, and they can help you through the problem. Remember asking for help doesn’t make you weak, it’s just a means of making your life easier, and allowing you to problem solve, something integral for continuing your educational journey.

Join Study Groups

Joining study groups goes along with the previous point. Joining study groups with your classmates allows you to have a space where everyone wants to help each other and is open to all questions. Study groups are meant to be a space where students can go to for help in a subject and be able to collaborate with others on the class assignments. Study groups are especially important during exams and midterms because students can work together to make sure everyone understands the concepts being covered. If your class doesn’t have a designated study group, network with classmates, and set everyone up for success, it’s the power of multiple that you can achieve greater understanding.

Use a Planner

Using a planner can help you again with organization. In a planner you can list important dates and events, you can schedule work, what times you have class, and organize your assignments and their due dates. Using a planner makes you organized in having all necessary information in one place. This will allow for a successful semester because everything that you might need or do is all listed and ready for you to navigate through. 

Know When to Say No

Knowing when to say “no” as a college student can be a difficult task. Especially when all your friends may be hanging out, and you have a big paper to complete with a nearing deadline. It is not to be said that you should always say no to new adventures, but prioritizing school to an extent while also giving yourself time with friends, is something integral to the growth of your studies. If you have a near deadline for an assignment, and it’s not completed, it might be best to say “no” to hanging out that day and avoid procrastination. This will let you finish the assignment quicker and get more time to hangout with friends after. It is all about balancing your time with different priorities you may have, but knowing the right instances to say “no” can make your semester successful.

Get Sleep

The biggest tip for having a successful semester is to get adequate sleep. Sleep is necessary in resetting your body for the beginning of a new day. A good day starts off with enough sleep. On average, college students today get only roughly 6 hours of sleep, when students in this age range should be getting up to 9 hours of sleep a night. Going to bed at a reasonable time and setting wake up goals in the morning will set you off for a successful day. Once you have mastered a good sleep schedule, you will have the basis of a successful semester.