Tips & Tricks of the New School Year

By Kelsey Miller on September 2, 2014

via Google Images

Going back to school can be a very stressful time for everyone. Most of us have just moved into a new apartment or resident hall and may be feeling overwhelmed.  The amount of “stuff” acquired over the years is enough to make us crazy–who knew you could keep so much junk! Here are a few helpful tips and tricks to get the year started off with the right foot.

Get your apartment/resident hall ready before classes start!

Nothing, and I mean nothing, is more stressful to me than a dirty room. I need everything to have a place and for it to look nice and neat before I can truly relax. It is extremely important you have a place to go after studying for hours on end to relax and actually enjoy. Make sure your room or apartment does this for you before classes start. For me, I found that making sure my room was clean each night before I go to sleep helps to cut down on how dirty it gets. Also, make sure you put away your clothes. Your room looks 100 percent better without a mix of clean and dirty clothes all over.

Write stuff down!

I have the worst memory when it comes to stuff I need to get done. If I don’t write it down, it will definitely become lost in my mind. So my advice to you is to write everything down, that way you have what you need to do and crossing it off feels so good! For me, sticky notes or a list on my phone  has helped me remember the best.

Print syllabi!

Some college professors will print out your syllabus for you and hand them out on the first day of class. Although this is extremely nice of them, it should not be the first time you are looking at your syllabus. They have everything you need to know in them, so why not use them!

Catch up on sleep!

Before classes start, it can be tempting to stay out late every night. It is the last few days of precious summer; however, make sure you’re getting the right amount of sleep. You do not want to start out the semester exhausted. It can only go downhill from here. I have found that I spend a lot of time on my phone or computer right before I go to bed. Once I put these away, my mind is still racing to process all that I have taken in. Instead of checking Facebook right before bed, read a book. Reading, for me, helps to calm my mind and normally puts me right to sleep!

Talk to others in your classes!

Talking to peers can definitely be nerve wracking, but it is necessary. I learned this the hard way last semester. I had a question on an assignment, my TA wasn’t emailing me back and in that moment, I really wished I had a classmates phone number. So this semester it is my goal to have at least one person in each of my classes that I can contact if I ever have any questions during the semester.

Get to know your TA’s and Professors!

Along with talking to others in your classes, talk to your teachers! They are most likely teachers because they enjoy teaching others (surprising, I know!). They are going to be the most valuable person in reaching your goals this semester. Visit them during their office hours. Office hours are made for students and many do not take advantage of them. Another way to get to know your TA and professors is through email. Emailing is a quick way to get the answers you want, and it shows your teachers that you are engaged.

Have fun!

Starting school is stressful but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have fun. Most of us only have four years to be in college, so make the most of your time because believe it or not you’re not going to be in college forever.

With all of these in mind, start the year off right! Nothing feels better than getting the grades you want at the end of a long, hard semester.

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