Top Five Things To Not Repeat This Semester

At this point, most of us should already be back to school! And while the first couple weeks bring in the fluttering feeling of a new semester, the devastating and stressful weeks of the midterm weeks are soon to come. Whether you want to start going to the gym or stop binge-watching Netflix shows before all your exams, everyone has at least one thing they acknowledge they should do differently from last semester. And because we’re all on that #struggle boat together, here are the TOP five things not to repeat this semester (because let’s face it: we know we’re all guilty of these).

1. Cram studying for your tests.

I feel as if though every time we enter a new semester, we all make a promise to ourselves to never again repeat the horrendous practice of cramming the night before a big exam or a midterm. But, every time, these promises seem to break (-: NOT THIS TIME. Try and remember how awful it was to cram, and hopefully that will motivate us to study earlier.

2. Procrastinating on our readings.

Okay, another super popular new year’s resolution is to not push off our readings and actually do them. This goes along with the tip above, but if we don’t want to cram study, or get super lost halfway through the semester, we definitely need to read EVERYTHING we’ve been assigned before coming to class. And don’t just skim! From my experience, if I don’t take notes or read through something very quickly, it doesn’t stick – and I have to waste time rereading the chapter later on in the semester.

3. Not go to office hours.

Maybe I’m just a bit biased because most of my professors have been super generous during their office hours, but honestly, GO TO OFFICE HOURS! If you’re taking a challenging course or have a particular question about the professor’s grading policy, you should definitely approach your professor. And frankly, because not many people DO go to office hours, it will make you stand out to your instructor. This could be particularly helpful for people in larger classes, and help you develop a pretty cool relationship with the professor.

4. Binge watching a Netflix show before exams.

Nothing further to say. Don’t do it. (I would know.)

5. Avoid talking to your classmates.

We’re all guilty of doing the “look away” whenever we make awkward eye contact with people in our class. And while it may seem a bit weird to try and initiate conversation, there’s a pretty good chance that everyone else is feeling the same way. But if you get to know at least one person in each of your classes, not only would you have someone to talk to in regards to the class, but you could also make new friends!