A variety of tools to help keep you on track
The promise of a new year brings joy and splendor to many. For students however, a new year means, inevitably, a new semester – a second chance at any of the mistakes that may have been made in the fall. The holiday break can serve as a time to reflect and regroup for the oncoming barrage of homework and assignments, but once that time is over, there is little to keep you from making the same mistakes you did in the first semester. Here are some useful tools to help you tackle the new semester and make the best of your time.
Set realistic goals:
Many students try to balance too many things at once. A good way to avoid falling into this trap is to set realistic and achievable goals. By dividing your goals into smaller achievements, tasks such as doing your readings, and not procrastinating suddenly come to the forefront of your thinking. If you set the goal to make the honour roll from the start of the semester, you may neglect a lot of the smaller steps are crucial to achieving that goal. If you set multiple goals for yourself, such as reviewing notes an hour after class, or reading every night before bed, the long-term goal becomes much more attainable and realizable. Through setting smaller and more precise goals, you can work towards building strong, long-lasting habits that will help make this your best semester yet.
Finding the study right environment:
Surrounding yourself in an environment that encourages a positive work ethic is crucial to academic success. It is important to identify the work environment that works best for you. If you enjoy studying in complete silence, the Bullring may not be the place for you. Once you identify your ideal study environment, you can effectively build a routine to help you stay on track. Whether it’s on your chestnut desk at home, or in a small crammed library-nook strategically located near washrooms and food, being able to identify what kind of environment works best for you can propel your work habits to the next level.
Calendars and scheduling:
Since GryphMail has switched over to using a Gmail server, scheduling and planning has become extremely convenient and accessible. Google Calendar provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to schedule and add reminders for all of your classes, assignments, or meetings. If you find yourself often forgetting to do discussion posts on CourseLink, or mixing up times and dates, integrating GryphMail and Google Calendar into your life may be helpful. If you are not technologically adept, the University Bookstore has multiple schedules, calendars, and day-planners that can encourage you to stay organized for the winter semester.
Dealing with procrastination:
Procrastination is a problem that plagues a majority of students. Regardless of how much time you are given to complete an essay or assignment, it seems inevitable that work will only see the light of day until the day before it’s due. While it may seem more time-efficient to save all your assignments for the last day, what suffers most is the quality of your work. Even if you work well under pressure, people who procrastinate often find themselves missing out on crucial components of academic success. Managing procrastination is not easy, but by implementing designated work times and allotted periods to achieving specific tasks, you can overcome bad habits. Set one hour aside for research and another for brainstorming. Whichever way you decide to divide your time, giving yourself the chance to explore and cultivate a critical perspective on your assignment is important.