Every new semester in college brings change. You have new classes, new professors, new extracurricular opportunities and even a new working environment for the first two weeks this semester. To cope with all of this change, it’s important to prepare yourself for what is ahead these next few months. Here are some tips that will help you succeed during the upcoming spring semester.
Organization
As we all know, it does not take long for schedules to fill up at the start of the new semester. For that reason, it is vital to get a jump on figuring out your organization strategies for this new year.
There are a variety of strategies that students use around campus. Some of these include utilizing small weekly planner notebooks, online calendars and/or reminder notifications on their mobile devices. There is no true answer to organization; the best strategy is to find the one that works best for you. Additionally, if you see that your chosen strategy is not working out well, make sure to quickly shift gears to another strategy, before your organization falters.
One strategy that a number of students take part in is loading all of your assignment due dates into your organization tool at the beginning of the semester. This prevents you from having to constantly update your calendar with every new assignment, guaranteeing organization for the rest of the semester. Though this works out well for many, some students prefer to load in their calendars by week. Either way works for organizing yourself, just be sure to stay updated on whatever method you choose.
Get Involved
One way to brighten your experience this semester is to join clubs and organizations. There are countless clubs around campus, making it virtually impossible to not find a group of students that you share interests with.
One great way to find new organizations is to attend the Involvement Fair. Though last semester’s fair was held in-person on Fairfield Way, the spring semester fair will be held online on Jan. 26 from 12-9 p.m.
The Involvement Fair allows club leaders around campus to describe their organization to prospective students in the audience. If you are interested in joining more organizations, it is vital to attend the Involvement Fair so you can learn from the leaders themselves on how to join and participate. Doing so will make your spring semester all the more exciting.
Take Care of Yourself
The last tip for a superb spring semester is to take care of yourself. Whether we are in-person or virtual this spring, course loads and other responsibilities can become overwhelming and stress-inducing. It is of the utmost importance to keep track of your own well-being throughout the semester.
There are a number of resources available in the UConn community to help keep your stress low. When campus reopens, the Rec Center is a great place to de-stress through countless activities and offerings throughout the year. Student Health and Wellness offers a variety of resources for students, including group meditation and yoga. If you are ever feeling stressed or overwhelmed this semester, be sure to explore these resources and to take care of yourself.
Ultimately, this new semester will bring a great deal of change. Though this change may be scary, with the proper planning and preparation, this semester can be your best semester yet.
