Coming back to school after winter break is almost as hard as coming back after the summer. You get into this habit of staying up late, sleeping in and not having any work to do. Then suddenly it is January and your professors are sending you homework and reading and it is just so overwhelming. This can be especially hard for freshmen as it is probably their first time having to deal with it.
So from someone who has done this before, here are some tips on getting back to business in the second semester.
1. Hit the ground running. This one may seem obvious but starting off right is very important. If you do not pay attention and do not do your work right from the beginning, it is going to be so much harder as the semester goes on.
2. Get into a routine. You have probably gotten into a winter break routine of sleeping in and not doing work and the best way to break that routine is build a new one. Maybe you make breakfast plans with a friend so you get up early. Maybe you pick out a “study time,” two or three hours a day that you have marked off for school work only.
3. Set some goals. What do you want to do this semes- ter? Do you want to raise your GPA? Maintain the one you already have? Stop procrastinating? Maybe all you want is to pass that one really hard class that everyone is talking about. Just be clear about what you want to accomplish this semester and try to stick with it.
4. Get organized. Try and find an organizational system that works for you. Get a big calendar and write down all of your work on it or put your schedule into your phone and set up reminders so you do not forget. Even if you do not use it all semester, it is nice to have a concrete plan at least at the beginning to get yourself going.
5. Find a balance. You cannot spend your whole life working, but you also cannot goof off everyday either. It is important to strike up that balance of school and social early on especially when coming back from break where you might be leaning more towards socializing instead of academics.
6. Do not be afraid to ask for help. If it is the second week of the semester and you are already feeling over- whelmed, reach out to someone. Talk to an upperclassman, maybe someone who is in your major or has taken the same class as you. Chances are they have been in your position and will know how to help. You could even talk to a faculty member, perhaps the professor for the class or maybe your advisor. Believe it or not, helping you is part of their job and most likely they will be happy to listen to your problem and assist in any way they can.
7. Just do you. No matter how many tips and tricks I give you, ultimately you are the best judge of how you work best. If you need to start moving and working as soon as you get back, go for it. If you need a slow start to ease your way back into school, more power to you. Just be honest with yourself and how you work and you will do fine.
