Secret #7 Take advantage of your back to school momentum!

Every year around August when the summer is winding down and school supplies start flying off the shelves, you start to wonder, is school really all that bad? Sated from months of vacation you find yourself thinking that, no, it’s not so bad. In fact, you may even miss it. This excitement carries you through the first couple of weeks of school. If you’re lucky it will last a month or two, but it will inevitably dwindle once you have reached the middle of the semester. This lack of interest is unavoidable, that is why it is so important to use this burst of energy to do as much as you possibly can before it runs out! 

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to do the homework you are sure to procrastinate about later, but you can take measures to prevent procrastination as well as prepare for all the homework and tests you are certain to experience. I have provided a to-do list of sorts. I have split the list into sections. This list will highlight things you can and should do within the first few weeks of school hopefully, if carried out correctly this list will help you through the mid-semester slump.

1. Assign a place for your syllabi. During the first week you should have a syllabi from each class. Keep these close! These are easily the most important documents you will receive all year. Most of your questions can be answered with a quick glance at this paper. Being able to reference these documents is imperative to your success in the class. Most professors provide you with a digital copy. If you aren’t given a digital copy you should definitely take the time to scan it. Some people choose to carry around a syllabi folder whether its one folder containing all of your syllabi or multiple folders for each class as long as you are consistent and your syllabi are easy to find, you should have no trouble. I personally keep my syllabi on Google drive. By storing my 
syllabi on the cloud I can simply look them up on 
my phone without keeping track of all those papers.

1. Write down all the important dates for homework, readings, and tests. These dates can either go in a physical planner, calendar, or an app

2. Add your professors contact info into your contacts. In the notes section type their office hours. (You may choose to not carry your syllabus around, having this information stored in your phone is a quick and easy way to get into contact with your professors)

3. Prepare to track your grades (if you’re really motivated) Professors often add your grades to your university's online grading system, but some (in my experience) choose not to or wait until the end of the semester to do so. In this case, it is a good idea to track your own grades. A quick Google search will provide you with hundreds of templates and apps. Spend some time finding what works for you. Tracking your own grades is a great way to confirm that your teachers grade book is correct. (even professors make mistakes)

4. Prevent procrastination by writing or typing all of your reading assignments on sticky notes. You should have a sticky note placed at the beginning of every chapter. On the note you should put the page numbers and the read by date for each assignment.If you hate to see handwritten notes you can type on any type of sticky notes. Clink here for the template.

5. Add an additional post it note to each chapter, but instead of reading assignments list the homework assignments that are found in the book. Make the sticky notes different colors to further differentiate between the two.

(Numbers four and five may not be necessary for every class, but for classes with reading assignments and book problems this is a easy way prevent future procrastination. By placing a sticky note at each chapter you are eliminating an extra barrier. Finding your agenda and looking up the assignments takes time and energy. Around mid-semester, when you are feeling lazy these little steps seem like huge steps and the result is procrastination.  Take this small measure and you will be more likely to complete your assignments on time.)

6. If you’re a freshman and this is your first year on campus, now would be a great time to print out a campus map and your schedule. Yes you can use google maps, but if your phone happens to die, it’s nice to have a hard copy.

7. Visit ratemyprofessor.com and find out as much as you can about your professors. If you’re not familiar with the site, refer to Secret #4. Use rate my professor to be more prepared for class.

How do you prepare for the semester?