College 101

4 Strategies to Simplify your Semester

It’s a few weeks into the semester and you may be finding that you’re having some difficulties managing your busy college life. Here are some strategies you can utilize to make the rest of this semester go smoother.

Utilize Your Phones Airplane Mode

If you’re anything like me, your phone is probably a MAJOR distraction. Here’s the trick: put it on airplane mode. You’ll significantly reduce the temptation to go down the social media rabbit hole if you aren’t constantly getting notifications while you’re supposed to be working. By eliminating this ONE distraction, you’ll get way more work done and the quality will probably be significantly better.

Create a Timeline for Big Projects or Papers

Breaking a huge research paper into smaller tasks like creating an outline, researching and securing sources, writing each section, and editing drafts helps to make the assignment as a whole less daunting. Give yourself a timeline for when you want to complete each step of the assignment and then stick to it. Be sure to give yourself enough time between completing the assignment and the due date so that you can edit and go over final details.

Complete Recurring Assignments at the Same Time

If you have recurring assignments like discussion boards, weekly quizzes, or regular writing assignments, schedule and complete them at the same time each week. If you know you have a math quiz every Thursday evening, set aside an hour every Thursday morning or Wednesday night to study. By creating this repetition, you’re more likely to remember the assignment, quiz, or study session and in turn will perform better, and wont have to worry about scrambling at the last minute to complete something important.

When Possible, Automate Whatever you Can

Having to stay on top of classes, assignments, quizzes, papers, jobs, practice schedules, and social engagements is difficult enough. Throwing bills into the mix is just another thing to keep track of that makes our lives that much more chaotic. Luckily, autopay is a thing. Wherever possible, utilize autopay, that way you don’t have to worry about your water, power, internet, or cell phone being shut off.

Making small tweaks in your day to day life can really help to ensure that you move through the rest of the semester with ease.