Winter is coming. That means your fall semester is ending (by the way, I just started watching Game of Thrones and I’m obsessed! Can you tell?). One thing every college student knows too well is that the semester can be a roller coaster ride — often with more valleys than peaks. But getting stuck in that valley really sucks and that’s definitely NOT where you want to be at the end of the semester! Being stuck there means that you might be making trade offs that won’t benefit your academic career: you decide to not study for your bio exam because you’re in the mood to go out that night; you decide that a class isn’t important because you haven’t been attending all semester so what’s the point in showing up now; you’re just too exhausted from working hard all semester only to not be performing as well as you had hoped. We’ve all been there at some point!
Despite this, remember that it’s still not terribly late to make a few adjustments to get back on track. Those final strides can really make a huge difference, after all, so don’t ignore them.
1. Review your handy, dandy syllabus.
Syllabi are pretty easy to forget about, but taking a second look at them will help you see how far the material has gone and re-group. It will also tell you when your next paper, quiz, or exam will be so you can start preparing.
2. See your adviser to prepare for next semester.
One of the worst ways to end the current semester is by being unsure of the next one. Be sure to see your adviser about classes you should take next semester, how far along you are in your major’s program, and if you’re still on track to graduate in the time you had wanted to. Don’t think that you can do it all by yourself and get away with not visiting your adviser even once; classes could be added or removed from your degree program.
3. Get back into using your planner.
If you aren’t a fan of planners, get back into whatever method you used to keep yourself organized — to do lists, writing on a calendar, app on your phone. And if you never used any of these methods, consider adopting one, especially if not doing anything hasn’t been helping your organization. Let’s be real, there are just too many assignments and obligations to keep track of with just your brain.
Be sure to check out my tips for getting organized in college!
4. Stop zoning out in class.
When you’re already exhausted, it’s easy to think about how great a quick nap would feel, or dream about the wonders of a cup of coffee. But unless the anatomy of your pumpkin spice latte will be on your next exam, it’s best you pay attention in class. I’m super guilty of having a short attention span, so I like to sip from a cold water bottle during class to keep me refreshed and alert.
5. Go to your professor’s office hours.
One of my professors gives us participation points for going to her office hours, and to be honest, I’ve been leaving those points on the table all semester! Going to your professor’s office hours can help you understand anything you’re struggling with, and your professor can guide you down the right path with your homework assignments. School work doesn’t have to be a lonely struggle.
6. Make it a point to improve on your previous test score.
Change up your study habits; study with a classmate. Find some way to do better on your next exam if you haven’t been receiving the grades you were hoping for. It can be easy to get stuck in the mentality that those curves will save your grade, but sometimes they aren’t enough. Treat every class as though there are no curves at all so you can push yourself to do as well as you can.
Related: How To Have A Productive Library Study Session
7. If you haven’t been taking notes all semester, start!
Really though??? I may be totally wrong about this, but I don’t think there exists a college class where you can sit there twiddling your thumbs and make it out alive and with a really good grade. Grades aren’t everything, but they’re pretty important. You may need to obtain a certain grade in a class before you can advance in your program, so that’s an important thing to be aware of. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of my guide to good note-taking for some killer tips!
8. Start working on any unhealthy sleeping habits.
A great way to finish strong is to move toward becoming well rested and thus, less exhausted. If you’ve been average six hours of sleep over the course of two days, you’ve definitely got to do better than that. Don’t sacrifice your well being to half-ass a study guide or drool over obnoxiously long readings every night. You’re a human, not a robot. Take a look at my post on how to get 8+ hours of sleep to find out how to do the seemingly impossible even with a packed schedule!
9. Don’t get sick!
I know it can happen to anyone at any time, but coming down with the flu can really make you miserable, and you need to be on top of your game! If you haven’t gotten sick this semester yet, congrats — I’m with ya there. But be sure to go the extra mile to really make sure you don’t get sick at the worst possible time of the semester. Doing something as simple as wiping down workout equipment at the gym before you use it can really make a difference. For more tips like this one, check out my post on how to avoid getting sick in college.
10. Set weekly goals.
Stay on top of your progress and always be on the lookout for things you can improve on. If you’ve been getting five hours of sleep every night this week, next week try to go for six hours of sleep every night; if you procrastinated on two assignments last week, make it your goal to only procrastinate one (or none! Baby steps!). The best thing about goals is that they can be whatever you feel like you need to work on, and you can go at your own pace!
What are your tips for finishing the semester on a high note?
