Become an Academic Weapon this Semester

I don't know about you guys, but I am always so motivated during school breaks to excel during the school year, but then it feels like those ambitions fizzle out within the next three weeks. Well; here are some tips to become an academic weapon, not an academic victim. Let's start this new semester with a BANG! 

Study for ALL those quizzes! Keep up with your lectures!

If you guys experience the same thing, don't worry! You're not alone. But this semester, I want us all to stay motivated and on top of our schoolwork. This includes doing all your lectures on time and studying for all those minor quizzes even if they are worth 0.5%, even if they are open book. 

I know! It may sound annoying, BUT I am telling you it will come so in handy during midterm and finals week. Since you've already studied all the lectures, it won't take you that long to review them.

But what if you don't have quizzes?

I would recommend roughly memorizing your lectures every 3-4 lectures. This can be hard to do since you are not studying for something immediate, but remember that when you have your midterms and finals, which you have FOR ALL of your courses, it makes it so hard to catch up.

Just remember that you’re saving your future self!!

TL;DR: Stay on top of lectures and quizzes now to save yourself stress during midterms and finals.

Stay organized

I feel like you have heard this in every article, and it may get old to you, but the fact that it's haunting and following you around shows how important it is and how helpful this stuff can be! 

One of my biggest help throughout the semester is having a weekly to-do list. I know when you start the week your profs just throw a bunch of lectures that need to be done by the next class, pre-lab readings, assignments, weekly quizzes, the list goes on. So, the best thing to do so you can remember all of these tasks is to: 

1. Make a To-Do list for the whole week (I like to write it out on my iPad and make each class a different colour 🙂).
2. Add the due dates under each task.
3. Look at all your tasks and assign each one to a day of the week; for example, if you have class on Tuesday and have lectures to watch before then, label that task as Monday so you get it done before then.

Now you have made yourself a to-do list for the week and a daily task list too! This list pushes me to follow my schedule. Make sure to have some leeway because some days you can be tired or something random pops up, so keep a day in there that has fewer tasks than the others so you can easily move things around!

Also, remember to set realistic goals. Don’t plan 9 lectures for one day, instead keep it reasonable so you will be committed and not get demotivated by not reaching your daily goals. I tend to stick to 3 to 5 tasks that include watching lectures, preparing pre-labs and discussion posts, and memorizing lectures.

TL;DR: Stay organized with a weekly to-do list, assign tasks to specific days, set realistic goals, and leave some room for the unexpected. 

Study in a place you know you will study 

Listen, I have been guilty of studying on my bed and couch and falling asleep mid-way…. It's so tempting to just sit on your bed and maybe lay down… then maybe close your eyes for a second… then maybe grab a blanket because you’re cold… then bam! You’re dead asleep for the next 2 hours. 

I honestly don't even study well at home, no matter where I am, not even at my desk. I just get up and start doing other things because I can. And hey, that's just a problem with me. But I recognized that fact and started studying on the 4th floor of the library. And this helped me so much! 

I was FORCED to sit there and study because there was nothing else for me to do, when I saw the people around me focused, it motivated me to focus and get things done too. 

So, the moral of the story is to study somewhere you know you will study. Everyone is different, a lot of my friends find it better studying at home, just learning by themselves and testing out different places. The beginning of the semester is perfect for testing out different study habits since you’re not packed with exams yet. 

TL;DR: Find a study spot where you actually get stuff done, whether it's at home or the library, and stick with it to avoid distractions. 

Set out a day for no schoolwork

You mustn’t be burning yourself out. Have some days to spend with your family, friends, and yourself. I like to set out one day of the week when I will do no work. This usually only works when I am not in midterm/final weeks. On Saturdays I allow myself to have a complete break from any schoolwork and enjoy my weekend by making plans to go out!

TL;DR: Take one day off a week from schoolwork to chill and spend time with family and friends to avoid burnout.

Remember to take care of yourself in the school year and try out these tips! Let's end up on top of this school year.