Starting fresh: Five resolutions for a successful spring semester
January 10, 2013
Tory Irwin
Opinion Editor
Another year, another semester, another attempt to not end up irretrievably behind and barely escape finals week alive.
If you’re like me, sometimes homework slips to the back burner, and then the back back burner, and then you just stick it back in the refrigerator and claim it will get done eventually. And it does. But by that time, you have another 5 assignments waiting to get done.
So in the spirit of New Year’s traditions, I’m proposing some new semester resolutions to have a successful semester, and I thought I’d share them with you and we can take on our workloads together.
•Do homework the day it’s assigned, right after class if possible.
I know sometimes the last thing I want to do after I get out of class is more work, but doing assignments directly after class is a good general rule for a few reasons. First off, it doesn’t allow time to for the assignment. Also, the information from class is still fresh in your brain, so it makes doing the assignment easier, plus instant review will help you retain the information you just learned. And I know for me once I turn my brain off of class, it’s hard to get it to go back to learning mode, so doing work right after class doesn’t give my mind time to go on cruise control.
•Find a study environment with fewer distractions. Try the library, a computer lab or floor study lounge.
If I’m in my room, chances are a friend will come knocking and I’ll welcome the distraction with open arms, putting off the work I’m trying to do. And even if no such visitation occurs, the internet holds so many wonders that I’ll often click away from an assignment and get lost for hours. Going to the library or study lounge will eliminate friendly diversions and help to discourage the temptation to seek out distraction. I don’t know about you, but if I’m on a computer in a public place where people are more likely to see what I’m doing, I stay away from websites like Facebook or YouTube and focus more on the task at hand.
Added bonus: doing homework right after class can lead you to the library if you’re already in the AC. Killing two resolutions with one stone!
•Stay away from the computer, if possible.
Remember that problem I have with the internet? It is almost ten times worse if I’m reading for a class and my computer is just casually sitting next to me. It calls to me, like Sauron’s ring. I’m a modern day Gollum. To avoid murmuring “my precious” to myself as I scroll, I think it’s a good idea for me (and you too!) to stay away from the computer if work does not absolutely demand it. And if it does, like for a paper, try writing it out with a pencil before transferring it to an acceptable word document. Or, work in public and maybe that stigma will keep your wandering eyes away from the web. It’s worth a shot, right?
•If you need a break, take one.
No use stressing over something that you just can’t focus on! Sometimes, try as I might, I just can’t seem to get through a particular assignment. If we encounter moments like that this semester (as I’m sure we will) I think that it’s best for us to take a break, get our mind off of it, and come back in a half hour or so with renewed focus. Maybe do a little exercise, and work out some other muscles before flexing your brain again.
•Be Happy. Be Healthy.
What’s the point of doing something if you’re miserable? Go out on the weekends, have fun with your friends, and do what makes you happy. You don’t want to look back on college and regret having your nose in the books all the time. With these timely habits I’ve proposed, you should have enough time to go out and have fun—without the stress of a last minute deadline.
So there you have it! I plan to put these new semester resolutions into practice, and I hope you will too. Let’s start 2013 out right.
Opinion Editor
Another year, another semester, another attempt to not end up irretrievably behind and barely escape finals week alive.
If you’re like me, sometimes homework slips to the back burner, and then the back back burner, and then you just stick it back in the refrigerator and claim it will get done eventually. And it does. But by that time, you have another 5 assignments waiting to get done.
So in the spirit of New Year’s traditions, I’m proposing some new semester resolutions to have a successful semester, and I thought I’d share them with you and we can take on our workloads together.
•Do homework the day it’s assigned, right after class if possible.
I know sometimes the last thing I want to do after I get out of class is more work, but doing assignments directly after class is a good general rule for a few reasons. First off, it doesn’t allow time to for the assignment. Also, the information from class is still fresh in your brain, so it makes doing the assignment easier, plus instant review will help you retain the information you just learned. And I know for me once I turn my brain off of class, it’s hard to get it to go back to learning mode, so doing work right after class doesn’t give my mind time to go on cruise control.
•Find a study environment with fewer distractions. Try the library, a computer lab or floor study lounge.
If I’m in my room, chances are a friend will come knocking and I’ll welcome the distraction with open arms, putting off the work I’m trying to do. And even if no such visitation occurs, the internet holds so many wonders that I’ll often click away from an assignment and get lost for hours. Going to the library or study lounge will eliminate friendly diversions and help to discourage the temptation to seek out distraction. I don’t know about you, but if I’m on a computer in a public place where people are more likely to see what I’m doing, I stay away from websites like Facebook or YouTube and focus more on the task at hand.
Added bonus: doing homework right after class can lead you to the library if you’re already in the AC. Killing two resolutions with one stone!
•Stay away from the computer, if possible.
Remember that problem I have with the internet? It is almost ten times worse if I’m reading for a class and my computer is just casually sitting next to me. It calls to me, like Sauron’s ring. I’m a modern day Gollum. To avoid murmuring “my precious” to myself as I scroll, I think it’s a good idea for me (and you too!) to stay away from the computer if work does not absolutely demand it. And if it does, like for a paper, try writing it out with a pencil before transferring it to an acceptable word document. Or, work in public and maybe that stigma will keep your wandering eyes away from the web. It’s worth a shot, right?
•If you need a break, take one.
No use stressing over something that you just can’t focus on! Sometimes, try as I might, I just can’t seem to get through a particular assignment. If we encounter moments like that this semester (as I’m sure we will) I think that it’s best for us to take a break, get our mind off of it, and come back in a half hour or so with renewed focus. Maybe do a little exercise, and work out some other muscles before flexing your brain again.
•Be Happy. Be Healthy.
What’s the point of doing something if you’re miserable? Go out on the weekends, have fun with your friends, and do what makes you happy. You don’t want to look back on college and regret having your nose in the books all the time. With these timely habits I’ve proposed, you should have enough time to go out and have fun—without the stress of a last minute deadline.
So there you have it! I plan to put these new semester resolutions into practice, and I hope you will too. Let’s start 2013 out right.
- Feed: The Lycourier
- Original article
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