Stay on top of your schedule

Getting back into the swing of the school year can be a daunting task. The stress of assignments with deadlines to balance with life’s other priorities can lead to procrastination. We as students need to push ourselves to stay on top of the workload at this year’s beginning to ensure a successful end. 

Syllabus week might seem like a piece of cake, and that can be true. However, this is also the time to get your dates in order. Going through each class and figuring out when to dedicate time to classwork will set yourself up for smooth sailing throughout the semester. 

Utilizing a planner of some sort pairs perfectly with student success. As each week continues throughout the year, write down the assignments from every class to stay on top of it. Including any other important obligations as well and a few to-do lists will help you feel more in control and less stressed. 

According to the University of North Carolina, studies have shown that students who plan their time were more efficient in allocating individual study time, prepared more appropriately for tutorial group meetings, and achieved higher scores on cognitive tests. We as students can take note of these benefits and incorporate such tools into our daily routines. 

Hold yourself accountable as the year progresses. Reward yourself when you successfully complete your weekly checklist and push yourself harder when the list is incomplete. For children, many parents use behavioral charts with a prize at the end if the child repeats an enforced, positive behavior. As adults, you can apply this same idea and treat yourself if you are keeping up the good work. 

Make sure that, as long as you are managing your time for work efficiently, you include some personal time as well. In order to maintain good mental health, savoring some time in your week for self care or a favorite hobby is important to prioritize as well. Although academics are important, so is your mind. It is easy to fall into the rabbit hole of stressing about your to-do list, but making quality time for yourself is encouraged and may even improve the quality of your work overall. 

We as students should strive to put in the behind-the-scenes work toward the final product in order to produce a great year. Stay productive and balance your workload over each day instead of burning yourself out on one single day of the week. Keep a steady pace and make sure your schedule is always in sight.