Surviving Fall Semester was one of the hardest and most rewarding things I have ever done. I studied hard, made great friends, and even got some pretty decent grades. However, throughout the semester I easily thought of some things I should have done beforehand in order to start my semester off right and succeed even more. That's why this semester I'm going to follow my tips and hope I can succeed even more than I did Fall Semester. So check out my tips, and maybe even implement them!

1. Set goals.

Make a plan, and follow it. By setting realistic goals and reminding yourself about them daily, you create your own mind set about succeeding throughout the semester. Does your GPA need to go up? Do you need to create more study time? Do you need to get more involved? Take a serious thought about what was missing from your Fall Semester and try to implement them into your spring semester. My Goals? To survive! But beyond that, I hope to end the semester with a 3.8 or above, apply for jobs with Campus Life, and balance my study time and social time!

2. Buy a planner, and don't be afraid to use it.

If you're attending 3 or 4 classes a day and lectures, you're getting a lot of information. With your planner you'll be able to jot down due dates, exam dates, study sessions, and much more. With a planner you're able to keep track of whats due when, and be able to free up some brain space, since it won't be filled with random dates. Just remember, stay up to date, and bring it to every class!

3. Plan not to Skip Class

By creating an idea of not skipping class you learn to work harder and skip less. Why would you pay so much for tuition, to not show up to class? Go to class, take notes, listen. If it's a repeat or a review, who cares, extra studying is always helpful for future assignments and exams! Sure, you might not be learning much during Syllabus week, but go to class, learn about expectations. Speaking of syllabus week.....

4. Get Familiar with the Class Syllabus

The syllabus goes over important dates, class expectations, and just important aspects to know about your class. Keep your syllabus and check it out if you have any questions about the class. Most questions about the class or due dates can be answered in the syllabus.

5. Leave some "You" Time

Everybody needs some time to relax, even if you have 9 assignments due, an exam in the morning, an essay due next week, and a presentation in a few days! Create some time for yourself and relax. School is hard, so reward yourself often!