Here's how you can prep for this upcoming academic year.
Plan Out A Note-Taking System:
The majority of your time in college, will be spent consuming information. That can be through lectures, textbook readings, and assignments. If you cannot effectively transcribe and organize that information, you will not be able to study it thoroughly. Instead, of scramming to get all your information together during exam week, organize it from the get go.
First of all determine your mode of note-taking. You can either take notes by hand in a notebook, or take notes on an Ipad or tablet, or you can take notes on a laptop. Pick what works best for you time-wise. Also take into account retention. For instance, typing up notes on a laptop is faster, but some may have a hard time remembering and recalling digital notes.
Handwriting can aid in retention. The middle ground to this can be writing out your notes on an Ipad or tablet. Some may hate writing onto a glossy screen. In that case, effectively organized notebooks with fast note-taking methods, such as using abbreviations are the way to go.
The point is to select a note-taking method and stick to it. This way all of your notes will be in one place. If you're like me and you prefer handwritten notes, multi-subject notebooks are the best way to get all of your classes into one or two notebooks.
Plan Out A Note-Taking Format:
The key to fast note-taking and memorization is having the same page format each time. Some people prefer taking notes in the Cornell Method. Some students have their own templates for note-taking. Here is the format that worked for me best in my university days:
- Title Of Notes, Chapter, Date.
- Introductory bullet points
- Subheading
- Notes
- Subheading
- Notes
Identify Study Methods:
Everyone learns and studies differently. Some people prefer flash cards, others make review sheets, some are quizlet addicts, some draw out flow maps, and others study simply by rewriting and rote memorization. Some students benefit from group studying, while others thrive solo.
Whatever your study habits are, initiate them from the get go. Start reviewing your notes in your study format earlier on. This way you can lean the material as you go along and avoid cramming last minute. Create your study materials as you learn new chapters. Don't wait until the few days before the exam to start creating all the flashcards. It will simply be too much information to organize and memorize.
Gather Your Supplies:
Identify the supplies you will need, for example, binders, notebooks, folders, pens, highlighters, etc. Gather only the supplies you know you will use and in adequate amounts. I am a stationary love myself and I know how easy it is to go overboard. However, you don't want supplies to sit in drawers unused. Best to get what you need and use it up, then buy fresh new stationary the next time around.
In terms of bookbags, select a spacious and comfortable to carry bookbag. You will be lugging it around all day on campus, so make sure it meets your requirements. The same goes for a lunch bag.
Capsule Wardrobe:
As the year goes on, it gets tougher and tougher to climb out of bed and get ready. Instead of resorting to oversized tees and mismatched outfits, plan out a capsule wardrobe. When you go shopping for clothes, buy tops and pants that can be mixed and matched into multiple combinations. You don't need a massive collection of clothes. A couple of versatile tops and pants that can be paired in many different ways will be enough. Try pick out your outfits for the week ahead on Sunday. This will save up time when getting ready in the morning. You will have five outfits ready to go for Monday through Friday.
Setup For Classes
Take the time to go through your syllabus. Setup your planner, calendar, files, notebooks, digital note files, for your classes. Buy the textbooks and materials needed for your classes ahead of time. To buy textbooks secondhand, check out sites like Ebay. If you do not intend on keeping the book after the class is over, rent it on Amazon. You can also buy second-hand on sites such as Mercari and Facebook Marketplace.
Start Fixing Your Sleep Cycle
During the summer, many of us becomes accustomed to staying up late and sleeping in. During the academic year, poor sleep habits come back to bite fast, and they can impact our grades, mental health, and overall physical well-being. A couple of days before the start of the semester, get back into the habit of going to bed on time. Commit to wrapping up your activities and being in bed at a set time. This will help you ease into a school schedule when time comes.
Advising & Audit & Introductions
Before the start of the semester, go ahead and shoot your advisor an email confirming your schedule and to make sure that everything is in order. Call up financial aid, take care of the financial aspect of the semester. Make sure any grants, financial aid, and scholarships are set in place and ready to go. You don't want a nasty surprise bill showing up for tuition and causing undue stress.
Get on the site Rate My Professor and read student reviews of your upcoming professors. Assess now if you want to drop a class or not. Most universities have drop and withdrawal policies. Make sure you are familiar with them and plan ahead to avoid any regrets.
Classes that you are eager to take or are important to you, go ahead and shoot that lecturer an introduction email. Lecturers have hundreds of students. Make yourself known and leave a good impression. This will prove useful when you need academic help or letters of recommendation later.
Meal Prep
Don't fall into the pattern of eating takeout and fast food. Meal prep instead. It is the healthier choice and it will help deter any weight gain or sicknesses later on. Start off by making list of healthy dishes that you actually enjoy eating. Make a list of all the necessary ingredients. Now you have a shopping list that you can refer to when you go out to do grocery. Make sure these dishes are quick and easy to make to avoid any procrastination and temptation to order fast food.
Establish A Self-Care Routine
This is essential to avoid burnout and poor mental health. Set aside a block of time for you to take care of yourself and partake in a leisurely hobby of your choice. You can take this time to take a shower, do skincare, workout, relax, or enjoy a hobby like watching a movie, listening to music, journaling, and so forth. Pick positive activities that will allow you to feel energized and refreshed after. Having blocks of time dedicated to yourself, can help create a more balanced routine that is not all taken up by academics. It will leave you in a refreshed state to then return to your responsibilities.
Wrapping Up
Setting up for the academic year and starting off on the right foot can really set the tone for the year. These factors are the key components to a successful and balanced academic year. Give yourself time to sync back into these habits before the start of the semester. Wishing you all the best of luck for this academic year! Go out and make your goals come true!
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