Sometimes, college can be super overwhelming, and it can be difficult to keep up with work and remembering when assignments are due. How is it possible to find time to get everything done while not neglecting your other needs? Here are a few tips to stay ahead of your work in the new semester, so you can keep your grades up and your stress low.
1- Check your Syllabi
My first tip would be to go through all of your syllabi and highlight the section that lists all of your assignments for the term. It is helpful to write all of these assignments somewhere so that you are never surprised by a time-consuming project or a paper. Last semester, I wrote all of my assignments on my Google Calendar. This worked really well for me since I am always on my laptop, I just had it bookmarked, and I was good to go for whenever I needed to see when I had an upcoming assignment, test, or project. This semester, I have started using another website called Notion, which is free for students. Notion allows you to customize your page to how you want it with all different tabs for whatever best works with your life. I keep all of my syllabi, notes for classes, and assignment dates on my page, and it has been very beneficial thus far. I highly recommend this website to help organize your life and help keep you ahead of your work.
2- Avoid Procrastination
Try not to procrastinate on your work. I know this one is a lot easier said than done, believe me. I have always been a procrastinator, and I realized last semester that if I didn’t switch up that bad habit, it would’ve been detrimental to my GPA. I got around this issue by writing down everything I had to do for a given day/week on a to-do list. It’s very beneficial when you can see everything that needs to get done by a specific time, so you have an idea of what needs to be completed. I’m the kind of person that likes to physically cross something off of a to-do list, but you can also make one on your laptop or phone if that works better for you.
Another way I try to hinder procrastination is to set goals for myself before I do something fun or something that would take time away that I could be using for studying or homework. For example, before going out with friends or going to the gym or something similar, I give myself one or two items off of my list to complete before I go out. I’ve found that this not only helps me to stay on top of my work, but I also feel less stressed in the long run.
You don’t have to be studying and doing schoolwork constantly to excel in college. You just need to find a healthy balance that works for you. This is what I have found to work for me, and I have definitely been able to keep a high GPA because of these tips. Try some new methods out, and see which ideas work for your life!