Welcome to the Fall 2020 semester! I’ve had the pleasure of sharing some blog posts over the summer, and I’m back again for some more this semester. I hope you all are doing well and are staying safe. Wherever you are, I hope you’re settling well with classes starting up or getting back to work/co-op. For me, I’m feeling kind of uncertain about how this semester is going to turn out. The first week of classes already had my sleeping schedule all messed up and my procrastination levels have been running pretty high. I haven’t even had much work to do yet, but I just don’t think it hit me that classes have started already. But, hey, if you’re in the same boat as me, I’m here to tell you it’s okay! Classes are looking a lot different this year, and if you haven’t fully adapted to it yet, it is okay. I’m going to share a few tips on how I plan on getting everything together and trying to adapt to this new life we’re living. Everyone will have their own ways of getting through this semester, but it always helps to see that people are in the same boat as you and that there are people willing to help!
Tip #1: Make a daily schedule & monthly calendar
- I’ve never really been a big planner type of person. I’d buy a planner at the beginning of every school year and use it for the first day of class, then never look at it again. I would always just write random notes in my phone or laptop about whatever was due. But, I decided to change that this semester and plan out each day of the week on Sunday nights. Planning out my time gave me a peace of mind on everything that needs to be done. Sometimes when professors talk about all the work you have due each week, it can be daunting and make things unappealing to do. However, when you put it down on a daily schedule and plan out when you’re going to do everything — you should feel more confident in your ability to complete everything. Furthermore, I suggest creating a monthly calendar with fun, exciting days coming up. It is so nice to have a calendar without school work that you can just cross the days in anticipation for something fun coming up. It makes you much more motivated to get through the more stressful days. Remind yourself that Christmas is only 100 days away, or that picnic with your friends is just next weekend, or you’re going to make that amazing cookie recipe you’ve been wanting to make tomorrow night!
Tip #2: Get dressed for class
- Getting out of your pajamas and out of bed for classes is essential. I never changed out of my pajamas during my summer online classes, and it was such a big mistake. I would find myself dozing off or just extremely distracted for 75% of the lectures everyday when I’d stay in my pajamas. This semester, I decided to actually start waking up at least 20 minutes before classes and getting changed into real clothes. I know how much more comfortable it is to watch your lectures in your pajamas in the comfort of your bed, but get up and get dressed and go to a desk or table to help you focus. Don’t waste your tuition dollars thinking you’re paying attention to your Zoom lectures when you just have it playing in the background as you’re half asleep or scrolling through Tik Tok.
Tip #3: Try to start a new hobby
- Starting a new hobby could be a big stress reliever right now. I recently started getting into drawing. I am by no means good at it, but I started doing it every night before going to bed and it has been a relaxing way to end off the night. Something about starting something new, even if you’re not really good at it off the bat, is really satisfying. Starting a new hobby can give you something to do that isn’t being graded or being timed to get done by a certain due date. So, it’s a great way to just stay motivated and keep your mind healthy. Just to name a few things that you can try to start off as a new hobby (that I also want to get into): reading, photography, embroidery, or learning another language. Find something you enjoy and something that eases your mind on the stressful days and just try to stick with it! I guarantee you’ll feel much better and it’ll be kind of like an incentive to get you through your day.
Find whatever works for you and stick with it, you’ll make it through!
