6 Tips to Prepare for a Successful Semester

All well-executed projects require preparation and your academic life is no different! Particularly during this pandemic, when many of us are learning and working at home, it’s important to take charge of your day-to-day life and put structures, routines, and practices in place at the beginning of the semester that will permit you to achieve the success you are working towards.

Here are six tips to consider when preparing for your semester.

1. Create a “student space”.

We don’t even have to say it - this school year is NOT normal! Spaces that you have relied on in the past - classrooms, study halls, the library - are likely unavailable and you are now responsible for attending class, doing homework, and studying all within your own home!

It is so important that you designate a place in your home that is your “student space”. This space will be where you go to do all things school and ideally, it would be a space that is not used for anything else.

Hear me out: when you are having trouble sleeping, one of the biggest recommendations from experts is to not do anything else in your bed but sleep. They say don’t read in bed, don’t watch tv in bed, don’t lay on your phone in bed - so that when you lay down in bed, your body knows exactly what it is supposed to do in that space - Sleep! In order to preserve your productivity, your student space should be the same. If you only go to that space when you are ready to do work, then it will help you focus and be more productive.

I know that not everyone has an office or a desk or extra room to create a student space and I am in the same boat! I work at my kitchen table; however, I sit in a specific seat that I have designated for when I am doing work. Look around your home; find your space, invest in it, and protect it!

2. Identify what’s most important for you this semester.

In a busy semester, we have so many responsibilities and we are constantly pulled in so many directions. Sometimes we get so caught up in the busyness that we get distracted from our biggest priorities. I recommend that you take time to reflect on what is most important to you particularly in this semester.

For example, maybe you’re taking a few general education courses as well as some classes for your major. You might decide that your achievement in your major classes matters more to you right now and thus each week you prioritize your readings and homework for those classes before the others. Some of you might have a clinical placement or a thesis that takes precedent for you. Or maybe you’re close to graduation and really need to focus on your job search. Spend some time reflecting on what is most important to you this semester and find ways to put those things first each day.

3. Build a productive and balanced routine.

In order to hold yourself accountable and make time for all of the responsibilities you have, it is essential that you make a schedule that you are able to stick to. Be sure to block out times during your week for optimal productivity. For example, if you’re a morning person, maybe the first few hours of the day is the best time for you to do your readings and course assignments. Do your best to be efficient during this time and do not let your class responsibilities bleed into the rest of your day.

Many of us build a plan for attending classes and doing homework, but it’s also important to factor in other aspects of your life so that you can maintain balance. Include times in your routine for other priorities such as your health and fitness or your friends, and protect these pieces of your schedule fiercely. Additionally, make sure you have some time during each day and each week that is unscheduled so you can decompress and relax. By having a balanced schedule, you can increase your efficiency, avoid burnout, and feel more fulfilled.

4. Find your quarantine circle.

Quarantine obviously can lead to heightened senses of loneliness and isolation, and it is important that we work to combat these feelings in our everyday lives. Who are your people? Who can you turn to for laughs, for emotional support, for help with an assignment, for inspiration and encouragement?

Identify who is in your circle and make a plan for how you are going to maintain your connection with them. Maybe you schedule a weekly call or a virtual meetup or you find a way to get together for a socially distanced hangout.

Not only is it important that you stay in touch with people for your own wellbeing but also for theirs! Make a plan for how you are going to be a good support to the people in your circle. Some ideas: mail them a handwritten card, leave flowers on their doorstep, make an appreciation post to them on IG, or simply call them to tell them you were thinking about them. We might feel alone, but we have to remember: we are “together apart.”

5. Prioritize self-care.

As we are all enduring heightened stress, it is essential that you integrate self-care into your daily life. When we hear the words self-care, we often think of a bubble bath with a fizzy bath bomb and a good smelling candle burning in the background. But remember that self-care is simply about taking time to care for your mind, body, and soul through stress-reducing activities which can be so simple as going for a walk, doing a 5-minute meditation, taking a break from social media, or reading a good book. What are three self-care activities you could build into your daily, weekly, and monthly schedule?

6. Give yourself grace.

Last but not least, this is a time that calls for the extension of grace both unto ourselves and unto others. As you can see, I will never be the one who would encourage you to sit this season out or wait until life is normal again to pursue your joy and goals and dreams. But there is a level of self-awareness, self-forgiveness, and self-tenderness that we have to carry with us during this stressful time.

What is the difference between pushing yourself and putting pressure on yourself? What is the line between holding yourself accountable and overburdening yourself? How can we find a space where we afford ourselves grace but also keep moving towards our best selves and our best lives? To me, grace means: taking it one day at a time, forgiving yourself when you mess up, trying again tomorrow, being proud of each little win, and loving yourself unconditionally.

Spend some time over this long weekend reflecting on these suggestions. Get out your journal or your planner and write down your ideas on how you intend to create structures and routines this semester that will lead to balance and success.