By Courtney Elisech
The start of a semester can be a rough transition back to classes and homework. Everyone has different needs they bring to the first day. Here are some school tools to help get you started.
Make a Schedule
Many students struggle with finding a good planner or calendar to manage everything that college throws at them.
Google Calendar is an excellent tool for this! It can be accessed on computers and mobile devices. You can take it anywhere with you and set reminders to alert you, add location and notes for room numbers and your professor information. Plus, the added bonus is being able to color code everything. Other calendar apps are similar and can be utilized similarly.
Plan time for both classes and homework and add them to your calendar. Quickly set the courses as recurring events with an expiration date at the end of the semester. See the entire week at a glance by changing the setting to the week view.
Online classes should also have a time slot reserved and planned out. Build in time for self-care and family/friends too.
Once it is on the calendar, you are more likely to do it.
Many people prefer a paper calendar to carry with them, which is fantastic to know what you like—a reminder to keep it updated throughout the semester.
Adjust and improve what you do as you learn what works for you and doesn’t.
Take Note
Learning your preferred style of note-taking is a great tool for success. Everyone learns differently. That includes studying and retaining information from class.
The first thing to do is to figure out if you like handwriting or typing notes. Can you type faster than you write or vice versa? That answer can help you decide how to take notes. Use labels, titles, highlighting, and other things to help you organize and understand your notes for reference.
Some people record lectures and classes to help them remember everything. It is not wrong if it works for you and helps you learn. There is no wrong way to learn or take notes if you can be successful and knowledgeable.
The essential part of notes is to ask questions when you’re unclear. Writing something down that you won’t understand later is not helpful.
Find what works for you to retain information as you learn it.
Back to the Basics
An alarm clock, or alarm app, is vital to be on time for classes. The nice thing about alarm clock apps on the phone is that you can create many at a time and in advance. Think to yourself, “what time should I start doing this?” and set the alarm to keep you on track.
A stopwatch is a vastly underappreciated tool for most people. Use it to give yourself time limits on homework; not to say that you need to be done by that time, but you should stop working on that subject to refresh your brain.
Use it to take breaks, set a timer for 30 minutes, and walk away from your work. Everyone can limit how long they can focus on learning something new before their brain strays or become overwhelmed. Find what your time limit is and stick to it.
Ask for Help
Seek help when you need it. Delta has free tutoring services on campus that can help you reach out early and get support when you’re struggling. Have issues with writing a paper? Need help with proofreading? Check out the free writing center for one-on-one help. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your professors and classmates.
A good support system can distinguish between an alright semester and a great one. Family, friends, classmates, or anyone else will help hold you up during the school year. Someone with whom you can bounce ideas off and brainstorm with will have a second set of eyes to read your papers, help with rides or housework, or just an ear to listen to.
Organization
Stay organized, whatever that means to you, to avoid overwhelming moments. Stick to your schedule and adjust it as needed. Keep each subject matter together in a format that makes sense and works for you. Being tidy can never hurt. Create checklists to keep you on track; it is very satisfying to cross things off the list!
Tidy your workspace before you begin classes or homework so you can have a fresh start every time. Supplies! Find the writing utensil and notebook you love. It never hurts to test things out and try new options.
Self-care
Eat healthy, exercise, get rest, and relax. Meditate, do yoga, take a walk, visit an ax throwing shop and get your emotions out. You cannot be a great student unless you are at your best. Utilize your campus resources.
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Find what tools work for you and expand them or develop new ones. It’s not about being perfect or everyone needing the same things, and it’s about learning what will help you excel in your academic career and beyond.
