Spring Semester: How's It Going?

You made it though Fall Semester-congrats!! What will you do differently this semester? What worked and what didn't? What do you wish you had known back in August of 2018?  Four top concerns of college students are...

 

Time... It doesn't hurt to over estimate how much time you'll need for ....

• Finding a parking spot and walking in to class: it's amazing how far away you have to park sometimes.
• Studying. And, some courses take more study time than others, which you can't necessarily predict
• Sleep
• Everyday things like showering, laundry, putting gas in the car
• Work
• Do you need more hours, or less?
• Activities, whether at school or at home
• Does being involved in an activity make it hard to study? Can you spend less time on that activity?

 

Money-be aware of...

• How much you are taking out in loans
• How much you spend on gas every week
• How much you spend on food
• How much your other bills cost
• Credit card debt and how you can pay it down
• An explanation of how long it takes to pay off debt is here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertberger/2016/12/15/the-fastest-and-slowest-way-to-pay-off-credit-card-debt/#7f964a572803
• You can also search Credit Card Calculator to see how you can pay off your debt faster. Here's one: https://www.bankrate.com/calculators/credit-cards/credit-card-payoff-calculator.aspx
• Review the money situation from time to time, and then try not to obsess about it. You've got this!

Stress
What stresses you out the most....

• Grades
• Get tutors as soon as you know you need them.
• Be sure you haven't signed up for too many credits.
• Talk to your advisor about any issues as they arise, not when they're out of hand.
• Speak to your instructor when you're lost, or about your grades. Not sure? Ask how you're doing. 
• If you get to know your instructor, that can also help if you run into an emergency such as getting really sick in the middle of the semester.
• Are you taking any online classes? How is that going?
• Relationships: parents, friends, roommates, partner or spouse: Keep communications open-these folks are your support team. Be sure you let them know how much they help, as well as when you can't be available.
• Worrying about the future: Will you pass that class? Will you graduate? Will you have a good career? If these things bother you, be sure to see your advisor to explore the answers so you can feel confident as you work on your degree.
• Do you take any time to de-stress? Here is a 5 minute exercise in conscious breathing while letting your body relax: https://5minutemeditation.com/
• Here is a 5 minute meditation with pictures and music-there are many to choose from at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfw-rJUvy4

Planning...

• Plan your schedule so it's manageable
• A syllabus for a class gives you deadlines to plan for
• Plan study time into your everyday schedule-not just a few minutes here and there
• Plan some time to be with friends, but tell them when you have to study
• Plan time to rest
• Don't forget to eat, and eat well, most of the time. Some ideas for easy food: https://www.freebiefindingmom.com/college-recipes-cheap-easy-meals-college-students/
• Did you know there are lots of foods you can make (cheaply) in a mug, in the microwave? True story, try these: https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/food/how-to-save-money-in-college-dorm-recipes/

     

 Here's to making this semester even more successful than the last!

I'll Do It Tomorrow..It's Only a Day Away.......

Fess up: You're a procrastinator. Tomorrow sounds like the perfect day to do whatever...or maybe next week...next month...

Sound familiar?

 

Maybe you're putting something off because you feel overwhelmed. Maybe it's because you know it will take a ton of your time. Or, maybe you don't think it's going to take that long.

And then....the paper is due, the bill is due, the project is due, or you're still eating too much junk food..... and you haven't done a thing about it.

Yikes!

 

If your excuse is: I don't have any spare time.....

Take a look at how you're spending your time. How many hours are spent watching TV? Texting? Gaming? On Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat? Today, grab a pad and pencil and write down how much time you're doing those things. You may be surprised how much time you actually have available.

Here are some tips that might be helpful for you to stop putting things off:

 

• Doing something is better than nothing. Get started! If it's a paper you need to write, start by choosing a subject and writing down an outline. Now you have a plan.
• Set reasonable goals. Chances are you cannot do the entire project or paper in just one session.
• A large calendar is going to be a huge help: Your instructor gives the due dates of all papers and tests at the beginning of a semester. Write it all down on your calendar and refer to it daily. Look ahead: What's due next week? Then you have to make a plan to accomplish it.
• Don't blow it all out of proportion. You can do it!
• Make a decision. Whether it's about what your project will look like, or what you want to achieve--decide something. Do it today.
• Don't expect perfection, but do your best.

 

• Break the task down into smaller chunks. Set time limits, like: I will work on this until 2:30 and then take a break. I will give this one hour of my day in the morning and one hour in the evening.
• Give yourself a little reward. Think: When I reach this goal, I'll have some coffee, or I'll get up and walk around a little. 
• Stay focused: When you're working on this, you're not doing anything else. Your phone is in another room, and you do not check your phone or think you can play 'one short game' while you are working. Two minutes distracted can so easily turn into half an hour...another half hour that you didn't work on your project.
• Write down your timeline. That is, by a certain date you will have an outline finished. Two days later, you will have the first three parts written....until you have a completion date, well ahead of the actual due date if possible.

 

• Start with the hardest part. Everything else will fall into place after it.
• Ask for help if you need it. Do you need a tutor? Maybe just someone to bounce ideas off of? Seek someone out---and not someone who will be an accomplice in procrastination!
• Don't delay something thinking that it will give you an excuse for not finishing: "I would have done it, but time just got away from me." It's a pretty good bet that an employer or instructor isn't going to be impressed with that excuse. Of course, you're letting yourself down, too, by not allowing yourself to be successful.
• SAVE YOUR WORK!!!!
• Are you allowing yourself to fail? Is that your comfort zone? You can't blame someone else for a goal not met.
• Most important, when you set goals and achieve them, give yourself a little 'pat on the back,' for finishing that task. Remember how reluctant you were to start, and the fact that you're on your way to achieving what you wanted. Good for you!
• Keep up the good work!!!

Predicting the Future: Using a Planner

Have you been using a planner?


No????

 A planner can be your lifeline, your reminder, your answer, your organizer, and your watchman....and it's just a book of paper.

What's the purpose of a planner?

• To look ahead and see what's coming, and to break down how you want your world organized one step at a time.
•  If you look at your tasks spread out in a way that seems manageable, you're less likely to be overwhelmed
• Once you're in the habit of checking your planner several times every day, you won't be forgetting stuff like tests and studying for tests, when a bill is due, where you're supposed to be at a given time, how much longer till a certain due date, and even remembering peoples' birthdays.

Students, take the syllabus from each class and use it to fill in your planner with due dates and test dates. Then you need to figure out when to have parts of each task completed so you are ready before the due date. How long will a paper take you to write? How much time do you need for research? When will you begin studying for a test? Plot out the dates and write them in your planner.


An example: There will be a test on February 17. What chapters will it cover? You might write in your planner
 January 18: review Chapter 3.
 January 25: Review Chapter 4.
February 1: Go over Chapters 3 and 4.
February 10: Review again for test.
February 16: Recheck your 'trouble spots.'


Although the bottom example is for finals, it's a good way to plan out your studying any time.

                                      Notice lunch, time for exercise, and bedtime are also on the planner....

 

What kind of planner is right for you?
First let's establish that we're talking about a planner made of paper, not a reminder app you can use on your phone. Apps are great--some are greater than others--but (A) you have lots to keep track of and (B) phone batteries wear out and phones die, not to mention they get lost or left behind, and (C) it actually probably takes longer to 'text in' your tasks than to simply write them in with a pen or pencil. Use your planner with an app, and you'll really have it covered. 

• One kind of planner is about 5 x 7" give or take, often zips shut, and may also have a strap to keep it together.
• Most planners are usually in the form of a notebook, which can be any size. It could be that you prefer something the size of a traditional notebook. The idea is to be able to take it with you so you can refer to it often. It may have holes punched in it so that you can put it in a binder. Spiral-bound planners are easy to use, as they lay flat or can be 'folded back' to a particular day.
• You can also make one yourself using a calendar, a plain notebook, or anything else that works for you.
• Look at planners available in the stores; they're usually found by other notebooks and/or calendars.. What kind looks like it would be your best 'companion'? Do you like things to be horizontal or vertical? Days, or hour by hour? Big squares or smaller ones?

What will your planner look like?
Here's one that has not only assignment lists, but an hour by hour plan for your day. Does this kind work for you?

 Here's an example of using different colored highlighters: The person has crossed out completed tasks.

Again, this one has the times of day. You can schedule your classes and time for studying as the week goes by.

 

 

If you prefer, you can mark off different classes or tasks using stickers. Color-coding is still the best way to notice different things on your schedule.

 

 

 

 

Try blank stickers that you can write on, so that your planner is tailored for you.

 

You can download templates for a number of different planners and print your own, you don't have to purchase one. Try these sites for ideas--see which one seems like it would work for you:

 

http://scatteredsquirrel.com/printable/personal-planner/

http://www.officetemplates.org/free-franklin-planner-templates.html

 

What do you write in your planner?

• Answer: Everything.
• Sub-answer: It's really up to you. How organized do you need to be? Should it include everything you do, including sleep time, eating, activities outside of school?
• It won't hurt to write everything in your planner even if you think it's not necessary. If nothing else you get the satisfaction of crossing something off your list.
• Color coding is SO important. Simply using different colored highlighters can do the trick. This might be by subject or by importance or both. Put in your class schedule first, then go back and fill in when papers are due and when tests will occur. Now you have a clearer picture of when studying has to happen in each subject.
• Expecting a day off for some reason? Write it in.
• Dental or doctor appointments? Write them in.
• Car maintenance such as when an oil change is due? Write it in.
• Birthdays or family occasions? Write them in.
• Attending an event such as a concert? Write it in.
• Is it your week to do a certain chore? Write it in.
• Library book due dates? Write them in.
• Miss a day because you're sick? Write it in.
• Tutoring appointments or hope to have tutoring? Write it in.
• Study groups? Write in the day and time you are to meet.
• At the front inside the cover, you can put a copy of your class schedule and instructors' office hours and places, in case you need it.

You're getting the idea by now. The trick is to get in the habit of checking your planner all the time, depending on it, and knowing that if you do you will not miss important dates and times.

 You can always ask your advisor for help in setting up and using your planner.

Here are three tasks to start with:

1. Obtain a planner somehow: buy one, make one, print one.
2. Put it into a folder or binder where it's easy to look at,
3. The most important thing: Start a new habit: When you get up every morning, you check your planner first thing. You're probably in the habit of checking your phone first thing, just do this as well. What does your day look like today? Is it busy or less busy? Start to check every day first thing, then several more times in a day. If you can glance at your phone, you can glance at a planner, too.

Let's start this semester by at least trying a planner. It may turn out to be a great help!