If you are anything like me, the first week of classes was a bit of a culture shock.
School is a little bit different when you can’t turn off your camera and make lunch in the middle of your statistics class. Adjusting back into the in-person classroom setting took some getting used to, and maintaining motivation has become harder than ever. Here are some tricks I’ve been trying to follow to ensure I don’t flunk out.
Tip 1: Put your phone in your backpack during class.
I know it’s tempting to leave it on your desk, but be honest with yourself; it’s a downward spiral. It starts with checking the time, and then answering a text message, and then checking an email, and the next thing you know you’ve been scrolling through TikTok for so long you’ve missed three chapter notes, a lab, five quizzes and two tests. Put your phone in your bag. It will still be there at the end of class.
Tip 2: Make a single checklist where you can put all of your tasks and to-dos for the week.
Listen, I am NOT an organized person. In middle school, I had to have two assigned people help me close my locker, but having a little list where I can check things off gives me a little boost of serotonin that keeps me motivated. Yes, I did do my Spanish discussion posts and you know what? ¡Estoy contento!
Tip 3: Don’t over-commit yourself.
Sometimes, you can get a little bit full of yourself, and maybe you are riding off that high from checking off your English homework. But no, you cannot juggle 17 credit hours, six clubs, a full-time job, three friend groups and a pen pal from Uzbekistan.
Burnout is real, and if it happens to you it will have detrimental effects on your performance and mental health. Make time for yourself and more importantly, your bed. You will not enjoy your college experience if you are constantly stressing out over thousands of obligations. Remember that your life is more than just what shows up on a resume.
There is a lot to get used to this semester since you can’t go to class in your underwear anymore. Stay on top of things, make sure you are caring for yourself mentally and physically, and please remember the scariest part about on-campus classes- tests aren’t open notes anymore. you actually have to study. I get chills just thinking about that.
Good luck out there, Buccaneers.
