3 Tips for Starting Your Semester Off Right

At the start of a new semester (or new school year), we all have every intention of being the best student we can possibly be. We buy our textbooks and tell ourselves we’re going to start our reading early; we make sure we have folders, highlighter pens, and every note-taking accessory needed; and we even promise ourselves that this is the year we stop procrastinating. Yet, all of those things are easier said than done, especially when the school year hasn’t quite begun. Once our academic, social, and work obligations begin, suddenly, all of those promises we made to ourselves become that much more difficult to keep. That’s why we’re sharing tips for starting your semester off strongly (yes, even during a pandemic), so that you can maintain all of that positive momentum and earn good grades.

Tip #1: Actually read your syllabus.

You know that piece of paper or PDF your professor distributes at the beginning of the semester with all of the due dates, assignments, and class rules? Yeah, that’s your syllabus, and yes, you should definitely read it. In fact, we recommend reading it multiple times. Your syllabus helps you keep track of due dates, but it also helps you understand what your professor’s expectations are to earn that A. Oftentimes, if you have a question about the class, an assignment, or a rule, the syllabus is able to answer it for you. You’ll want to reference your syllabus throughout the semester, so keep it accessible (and safe).

Tip #2: Make sure you are aware of every deadline and due date

Depending on your professor and syllabus, you’ll know when every one of your assignments, exams, and essays will be at the start of the semester. That is some pretty valuable and important information — you can see into the future! And you should use that information wisely. Utilize a digital planner (like your calendar app or a productivity tool) or a good old-fashioned paper planner and start marking down all of those due dates and deadlines.

Just as importantly, you’ll want to also mark down when you have other obligations as well, like your work schedule, club or organization meetings, that weekly call you have with your parents, or even some time for self-care, even if all of these things are virtual for the near-future. This will ensure you know how to manage your time properly amidst all of the things you have to do. You’ll be able to plan when you need to get work done, and also when you need time for recharging.

Tip #3: Get help as soon as you need it – not just before test day

In a perfect world, you’ll be able to understand all of your assignments and the content of upcoming test materials and complete them without any questions or difficulty. Unfortunately, when you’re learning new materials and juggling a full course load (on top of any other extracurriculars), that doesn’t typically happen. This is why you need to utilize the resources you have available to you when something becomes too challenging for you to tackle on your own. Whenever you reach a point in the semester where something just is too confusing or you’re having trouble completing an assignment, ask for help — don’t wait until right before the due date when it could be too late. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re “giving up” or that you’re a “failure” for needing help; it means you recognize when getting another perspective, or having someone help you review your work can help you overcome any hurdles of understanding.

Make sure you know what resources are available to you at your school’s library, and look into whether your school offers tutors in various subject matter. Many schools have things like math or writing centers whether other students and professors can help answer your questions. Another excellent resource is your professor’s office hours. They dedicate time each week that’s exclusively for helping their students navigate their class and assignments. If you have a TA (teaching assistant) for a class, reach out to them too. All of these resources are there to ensure you aren’t struggling through a class; they can help you feel confident that you can understand class material and tackle assignments. If you do this throughout the semester ahead of your assignments and tests, you’ll be better positioned to earn a good grade at the end.

How to Prepare for Your First Week of Classes

It’s finally here – your first week of classes! Maybe you’re starting university for the first time this semester, or maybe you’re returning for another year. Either way, we’ve compiled some tips to help you prepare for class so you can start the year off successfully.

Read the syllabus ahead of time

You know that thing your professor posts on Blackboard or emails to you a week before class with all of your required books, class schedule, assignments, and due dates? That’s your syllabus – and yes, you should be reading it before the first day of class. We know you’re probably saying “But isn’t my professor going to go over it in class?” Some of them will; some of them won’t. Regardless of whether the professor discusses what’s on the syllabus, you can have a sense of what’s ahead for the semester by reading it thoroughly. Make a note of any questions you have about due dates, assignments, required reading, and anything else the professor included on the syllabus so you can ask about them on the first day of class.

Map out where your classes are on campus

Whether you’re a new or returning student, it’s important to know exactly where your classes are on campus. It’s helpful to know just how much time it will take you from your dorm to get to class – or even to and from other classes or activities you have throughout the day. This ensures that you’re not rushing around campus your first week back trying to get to class on time because you are unsure where a class is. If you need help locating where your classes are, consider checking the class roster (if available to you) and buddy up with a classmate to walk to class. Determining where your class buildings and rooms are ahead of time will remove some of the stress during your first week.

Charge your laptop or organize your class supplies

Before classes start, make sure you know exactly how you’re going to take notes and organize all of your materials. Some students choose to do this digitally, with physical notebooks and folders, or both. The benefit of getting your supplies in order means that you can show up to class knowing where to start taking notes and storing your information. Additionally, it means that you’re not devising an organization method a few weeks into the semester, ensuring that you don’t lose any notes from the first days or weeks of classes.

Get a good night’s sleep

It might be tempting to go out or stay up late the night before your first classes because you don’t have any homework yet, but just remember, these first weeks can help set the tone for the whole year. Getting a good night’s sleep before your first week ensures that you can be alert and make a good impression on your professors – and your classmates. You’ll be able to better plan for the weeks ahead, and better process the seemingly overwhelming amount of new information you’ll be taking in.

5 Things You Can Do to Prepare for Back-to-School

It might be hard to believe this, but we’re already halfway through summer. We know, we know – you don’t want to think about moving back into your dorm and doing homework again while you’re enjoying the summer sunshine and a break from exams and essays. But while there’s still a lot of time left before you head back to school, you can make the transition back-to-school a little bit easier by doing these five things to prepare now.

Download your syllabi ahead of time

Some professors will make the syllabus for their class available ahead of the start of the semester on the class website or academic platform (like Blackboard). This is a great opportunity to do a little more research into the course you’re taking, because, let’s be honest, you might know little more than course title and a vague description. Check out what books are required for the course, and if possible, you could even skim your textbooks or do one of the initial readings for class. It might give you a sense of how time-consuming the reading might be so you can determine how to plan for other commitments, such as other class assignments, participating in clubs or on-campus organizations, an internship, and even just having a social life.

Get planning and map out your due dates

If you’re able to review your syllabi ahead of time, you will also want to consider getting a planner (sometimes called an agenda or calendar) and adding the dates of future assignments, tests, and other due dates during your semester. Whether you choose to use a digital calendar or put pen to paper, you’ll be able to prepare for how busy (or maybe un-busy) your semester will be. Having due dates in your planner will let you see if you have any overlapping due dates and, for example, come up with a game plan for how to complete an essay assignment for the same day you have a big exam.

Organize your essentials

We all have a tendency to procrastinate sometimes, but you don’t want to leave packing for the day before you leave home and head to school. Start by making a list. What do you need for the upcoming semester that you can’t buy once you’re already at school, or that would be too expensive or logistically difficult to purchase upon arriving at school? For example, you’ll want to bring the clothes you need for the semester (or maybe even the whole year) but you can purchase snacks and beverages upon arriving at school. As you create your list, you’ll be able to start packing up your things so that you have plenty of time to get the things you need ahead of time or notice if you’ve forgotten something.

Get your US phone number

If you’re traveling to university in the US for the first time, you should definitely get your US phone number before you leave your home country. By signing up for Mint Mobile through campusSIMS, you can pick out your phone plan and get that US phone number ahead of time. You’ll be able to give your phone number to your parents so that they have a way of easily contacting you once you get to the US. Also, with campusSIMS and Mint Mobile, you don’t need to activate your plan until you get to the US – so you aren’t paying for mobile phone service until you’re ready to use it. You’ll be able to activate when land and get off of the plane, but before then, you have peace of mind knowing that you’re already all set up with phone service.

Do some research on your new neighborhood

Whether you’re returning to school for another semester or you’re moving to the US for the first time, it’s definitely worth doing research on the city or new neighborhood where you’re living. This, of course, is important from a safety perspective – you should familiarize yourself with your surroundings so you feel comfortable navigating outside of campus if/when you need to. You can use Google Maps (or other maps services) to bookmark important places like local hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores, and post offices or shipping companies (like FedEx, UPS, DHL). Additionally, you can figure out the places for more fun activities like local restaurants, bars, museums, parks, and more.