A new school year is kicking off! This can be an exciting, yet daunting time, especially if this is your first semester in college. While it might not feel like it right now, this is likely the least hectic time you’ll have all semester. Take advantage of it while you can by asking yourself the following 6 questions to help you plan for a successful semester.
Note that the answers to these questions are completely up to you. This is your life and you get to define what a successful semester looks like. While this post is geared toward full-time undergrad students but may still be helpful to any student.
1. What does your schedule look like this semester?
I’m not just talking about your class schedule here, so grab your favorite planner and ask yourself two follow-on questions:
- What does your average week look like?
- What significant events do you care about this semester?
Side note on planners: Many colleges have their own planners or agenda books you can grab at the local bookstore. These college planners conveniently have important school dates already added in. I used Purdue’s planner every year while I was an undergrad, but you don’t need to do the same. Just find a planner that works for you, whether it’s paper, digital, or a combo of the two! Today, I use a combo. I use my Outlook calendar to plan the details of my day, but I still like having a paper planner (I’ve been using this one for years now) to help me track my habits and my goals.
Analyze your weekly schedule
You should already be blocking off time for your class schedule, but have you looked at blocking off time for other important weekly activities? For example….
- Do any of your professors or teaching assistants have regular office hours that you may need to take advantage of?
- Do you want to join a club that has regular meeting times?
- Can you block off time for weekly workouts? We’ll talk about prioritizing your health below.
- Review your course syllabuses: Do you have weekly homework assignments you need to block off time to complete?
- Will you be trying to juggle a job on top of your classes? If so, what are the best times you can work that won’t interfere with your classes or other important activities? Related article: Minimize your college debt.
Jot down significant events
Of course, not every week will be “average”, so what big events will you need to proactively plan around? For example:
- When are your midterms and finals?
- Review your course syllabuses: Do you have any big projects you’ll need to do this semester? Or any exams outside of midterms/finals that you’ll need to prepare for?
- When are holidays scheduled?
- When does your school host career fairs? Related: career fairs for engineering students.
- Are there internships you need to start applying for already? Some specific internship programs start application processes early each semester, like NASA’s Pathway Internship. Related: engineering internships.
- Are there other big events you need to block off, such as a club activity that you will be volunteering to help with?
2. How will you prioritize your health?
It’s too easy to ignore your health when a semester gets hectic…that is until you get sick and you can’t ignore your health anymore!
I get it. I’ve been there. So, learn from my mistakes. Commit to healthy habits throughout your entire semester.
And, since I know this is easier said than done… I recommend looking at two sets of healthy habits. One for your average day (your “nominal” healthy habits) and another minimal set that you can fall back on when life gets too crazy (your “survival mode” plan).
Define your nominal healthy habits
What daily or weekly habits will help you remain healthy? And when I say “healthy”, I mean physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. They’re all connected.
Here are some questions to consider as you form your own healthy habits:
- What foods make you feel the best? Where can you get those foods?
- What days of the week do you have the most time to get in a workout?
- Does your college offer free therapy sessions?
- What activities can you do in between classes to de-stress?
- Is there a group on campus that has the same religious or spiritual beliefs as you?
Create a “survival mode” plan
Skipping your normal workouts for a week to finish a big project is one thing. But it’s another thing entirely to completely neglect your health. Catching the flu or having a mental breakdown won’t help your semester get any easier!
We all know that life can get overwhelming sometimes, especially at the end of the semester when you’ve got exams coming up, all your projects are due, and you’ve got other commitments you’re trying to juggle in between.
So, what’s your “survival plan” to get through those intense weeks?
My own survival plan includes two parts: (1) my “non-negotiables” and (2) a list of de-stress activities I can choose from.
My “non-negotiables” are the habits I prioritize over everything else. For me, these relate to my morning and evening routines. Here’s an example:
- Morning: Brush teeth, drink a big glass of water, do 5+ minutes of yoga/stretching, and review important actions I need to do for the day.
- Night: Set a timer to get ready for bed and spend 10-30 minutes destressing (e.g. stretching, reading a fantasy novel, playing a mindless game while listening to an audiobook). Getting enough sleep is super important to my health, so it’s something I always try to prioritize.
I also have a list of possible activities to help me get through rough days. For example, when I’m feeling depressed I’ll journal, watch a funny skit, or call my mom. When I’m feeling anxious or overwhelmed, I’ll go for a walk outside or do a quick, intense workout.
Find what works for you. I’ve tried a whole bunch of options over the years and I’m still trying new things. I simply keep what worked well and leave behind what didn’t.
3. Are you ready to learn?
Everyone gains knowledge in different ways, so let’s break this down into a few considerations: learning styles, textbook formats, and note-taking strategies.
What learning styles are most effective for you?
Whether you realize it or not, you’ve likely heard about the VARK model, which identifies four types of learners:
- visual (learn via pictures)
- auditory (learn via listening)
- kinesthetic (learn via doing)
- reading/writing (learn via text)
You’ll even see quizzes out there trying to tell you “what your learning style is”. My recommendation? Try them all and see what works for you. And you don’t need to limit yourself to just one! Check out this rasmussen.edu page for some examples that apply to college students.
Personally, my “preferred” learning style changes based on what I’m learning…and sometimes even my mood. In history classes, I liked just reading books and taking a few notes. When I was feeling unmotivated, group study sessions helped force me to learn. In advanced math classes, I needed to constantly practice solving math problems. And, as I prepared to become a real aerospace engineer, I had to combine all those learning styles to truly understand how to transfer classroom theory into practice.
Experiment with what works best for you for each subject (and maybe your different moods too!).
Your textbooks
It’s college, so, of course, you’ll have some obligatory textbooks to read. But you may be able to choose your format. Do you want a hardcopy, an electronic copy… or both? In some cases, you may even have an audiobook option.
What format you use is completely up to you (and maybe your professor if they have rules in place like allowing you to reference hardcopy books during an exam).
Physical paper may help you focus and retain knowledge, especially if you’re the kind of person who likes to mark up your books with highlighters, colored pens, and/or Post-it notes.
Electronic books can help you search for information faster and you can take advantage of exporting notes you take electronically into a note-taking app. For example, if you have a book on Kindle, you can export your notes directly into an app like Evernote. This can save you a ton of time…but it’s also only useful if you actually go back and review your notes later.
It may also depend on the material in the textbook. Some textbooks with lots of illustrations or equations may be difficult to read with an e-reader.
Your notes
Similarly, how do you like to take notes?
If you love old-school pen and paper, do you have a good note-taking method that will help review your notes later? There are some good note-taking ideas over on thecollegepost.com.
On the other hand, there are also tons of great note-taking apps to consider. Ali Abdaal talks about how he uses different note-taking apps on his YouTube channel.
You can even consider taking notes with fellow classmates. Many free platforms like Google Docs allow for multi-editors. This can also be a great way to learn from your classmates if you make it interactive, such as adding in peer-driven discussions or Q&As.
4. What environments will help you focus on assignments?
Distractions and lack of motivation can really take a toll on your grades. One way to combat this is changing up your environment.
Places
Take time to explore your campus to learn where you can work. Libraries. Coffee shops. Collaboration rooms. Labs. Computer rooms. You can even study outside when the weather is nice!
Stuck in a dorm room? What can you change to make your room a better study-friendly environment? Maybe that’s taking a few minutes to clean your room so it’s not so chaotic. Or rearrange your desk/chair so you have a different view.
Block distractions
You might have found the perfect place to focus, but it’s hard to get away from your phone or laptop…and the phone calls, texts, emails, and other apps that come with them. Of course, you can try to leave your electronics beyond (or turned off), but that might not be possible for some assignments.
Luckily there are settings and various apps that can help block those distractions so you can focus on what’s important.
Still procrastinating? You can also consider using a shared computer on campus, like in the library or a computer lab.
Movement
In some cases, maybe you need to get up and do something instead of a reading textbook in a comfy chair.
If you’ve recorded a lecture, would it help to re-listen to it while walking or doing a mindless task? You could even walk with a friend while discussing a topic from class. If you can’t walk about, what about trying a fidget toy? When I need to focus on listening, sometimes I’ll crochet just to keep my hands busy so I’m less distracted (I taught myself to crochet when I started working from home a lot).
Is there an opportunity for you to put theory into practice? If you’re a hands-on learner, get creative here. See what your school offers, like 3D printers, shared lab spaces, or student clubs.
For example, if you’re learning about airfoils in an aeronautical engineering class, does your school have a place where you can go look at different airfoil shapes? Can you help a graduate student analyze results from a wind tunnel test? Is there an aerospace club you could join? Don’t be afraid to ask your professor or your adviser.
Sounds
What sounds (or lack of sounds) help you focus? Think music, audiobooks, or noise-cancelling earplugs.
There are so many YouTube videos or podcasts dedicated to helping you study/focus. As I write this post, I have this channel on in the background – I love the coffee shop feel even though I’m snuggled up on my couch.
Smells
How about smells? It’s amazing how much our sense of smell can affect us. Bad smells (or yummy food smells) can become a distraction while studying. Whereas other smells might actually help you focus.
Maybe you like the smell of freshly ground coffee, clean laundry, or old books. This could affect where you go to study. Or, you can create your own oasis in your room by adding some essential oil to your diffuser. Just be mindful of your roommates – they might not like the same smells as you!
5. Who can help you?
The people in your life can break or break your semester. So, who can help you make your semester successful?
Are there classmates who can help you with homework? A teaching assistant who goes above and beyond by scheduling study sessions with students? Do you know when your professor has office hours? Do you have friends or family you can call when you’re having a bad day? Does your school have a therapist you could talk to?
Likewise, who might jeopardize your success? Are there toxic people you should completely avoid? Is there someone you love to hang out with, but that you need to distance from while studying for exams? Do you need to talk to your resident advisor or a therapist about how to deal with a stressful roommate that you can’t totally avoid?
6. How will you implement these ideas?
Now, let’s put these ideas and plans into action.
It’s so easy to read an article and write down some ideas. You might even turn those ideas into a well-thought-out plan. That’s awesome. And while that plan can definitely help you start your journey, it’s also not enough on its own. You need to be able to implement your plan.
Take action now
What’s one action that you can do today to get started?
Focus on foundational actions first. These are actions that will make future actions easier to do.
Maybe you have an idea for a new note-taking strategy, but you need to spend an hour testing out a new note-taking app first. Or, maybe you want to commit to two workouts a week this semester, so you’re going to register for a workout class at a nearby gym.
Once you’ve done that action, what can you do next?
Don’t worry about having a perfect plan before you start taking action. Just take it one action at a time. If you’re an over-planner like me, this is super important. If we’re not careful, we can spend our entire lives planning and never actually accomplish anything important.
Create new habits
If you want to make your entire semester a success, consistency is key. You’ll need to consistently show up for class, consistently complete assignments, and consistently pass your exams.
Your daily routines and weekly habits make that consistency possible. What does that look like this semester? Be as specific as you can, such as adding in “where” and “when” you’ll complete that habit.
Here are some examples:
- After ENG101 on Tuesday and Thursday, I’ll study in the library for an hour before my next class.
- Every morning after breakfast, I’ll do 10 minutes of yoga in my room.
- Every night before my bedtime routine, I’ll spend 10 minutes reviewing my day and writing down important tasks I need to do tomorrow.
- After my last class of the day on Mondays and Wednesdays, I’ll go straight to the gym before going home.
- Before taking a study break, I’ll set a 30-minute timer so I don’t accidentally procrastinate for hours.
When you’re building new habits (or rebuilding them after a setback), it’s important to track your habits and hold yourself accountable. This could be as simple as adding them to your weekly planner and checking them off each day. There are a ton of helpful habit-building resources out there, like Atomic Habits by James Clear (video summary here).
You’ve got this!
While you should definitely listen to advice from others, it’s up to you to decide what works well for you. This is your life. Your journey. So, explore, experiment, and adapt.
And when the going gets tough, I’ve got more content on this site that may help you out, like these:
Have a fantastic semester! You can do this!