12 tips for surviving spring semester at Meramec
-No byline-
Staring at the glowing screen in front of her she thinks “How did this happen?” Peeking off the Blackboard page at her is ‘F’. He smirks and taunts “You can’t do it, you can’t…” She wakes with a start. Phew. It’s only January and finals are still months away. It was only a dream.
For some students this dream is their reality. Sometimes it is only a variation of it where students work down to the wire to squeak by and pass the class. But the resulting stress, procrastination and subsequent all-nighters add waking zombies to the student population on campus just before and during finals.
Finals may seem far away, but they sneak up and freak students out every semester. Is there some way to break with tradition and have a fairly stress-free term? Well yes, there is.
Like a house, a good semester is built on a solid foundation. In the case of making it through the semester relatively unscathed, the foundation is your body. That’s right; the “temple,” as it is so lovingly referred to, is the cornerstone to being able to pass courses with flying colors. Make you your No.1 priority.
It starts with getting enough sleep. Should falling asleep in class (or completely missing it because those pillows keep calling) be a regular issue, the professor will not stay happy.
Take the time to be well rested, or at the very least have some rest before going to class. With brain function a-go, it’s possible to stay focused and not nod off every other minute.
The next essential step is to maintain a healthy diet. This doesn’t mean only cardboard cereal, skim milk and celery sticks. Students are busy people. We are always on the go and always hungry.
Too often, it is easier to gulp a sugar and caffeine filled soda to keep ourselves awake and munch on a slice of greasy pizza than have a good meal. While these foods give temporary relief to groaning stomachs, they don’t give lasting energy to sustain students throughout the day.
Complex carbohydrates give some of the best energy for our bodies to break down. They keep processing and creating energy long after the last bite was swallowed. Whole grains are very good sources of these complex carbs and are found in brown and whole wheat breads, pastas, potatoes and many other natural foods.
Eating breakfast will start any day off right as well. Having energy to begin with is a sure way to get rid of those Monday blues.
After the body is taken care of the next step is motivation. Have a reason to do well. Be worth a bachelor’s degree; get to the point where the six figure paycheck is possible. After the reason is established, think about the big picture and strive to move toward it. If this seems a little overwhelming break it down into small pieces.
The easiest way to make the big picture smaller is to create goals. A goal is simply a dream which is written down. Have goals which are focused, like “read a chapter by Friday,” so there is a fixed point of reference. Make daily, weekly and monthly goals to stay on track with school work.
When making goals it’s necessary to know how long each assignment takes to be completed. This is where time management comes into play. Budget time so there are ample hours to complete homework, work at a job, as well as keep a semblance of a social (or gaming) life. Oh, and sleep would be nice.
Keeping track of goals can be a tough issue to deal with sometimes, but is easily remedied. Owning at least two calendars is a great way to stay organized and on top of everything which must be finished.
A big wall calendar is a great place to write down deadlines, due dates and other important assignments. A small daily planner (available for purchase in the Meramec Bookstore) is great for quickly referencing what needs to be done. Daily planners are also good for keeping a work schedule and other commitments organized so double booking doesn’t become an issue.
It can be easy to fall into the waking dream and let assignment after assignment pile up. But they bite back with a sleepless vengeance. However, it can be just as easy to stay ahead of (or at least right with) the curve. It takes daily, little decision to do the reading, write the paper, or memorize calculus equations. Having a good semester is possible. Go do it.
