Welcome back, Wildcats! After over a month away from campus (unless you took a J-Term course) it can be difficult to get back into the swing of campus life. If you weren’t working or didn’t have a schedule similar to what your school schedule is, you may experience some post-winter-break struggles including, but not limited to, oversleeping, lack of interest, forgetting that classes are a thing, etc. But these, and the many other back to class problems you may experience, are all easily overcome. Here are just a few easy ways to get back into life here at UNH.
Organize
Instead of living out of your suitcase or laundry basket until you run out of clean clothes, unpack and organize your living area ASAP! You might not see this as a major problem, but starting the spring semester off organized can help set the tone for the rest of the year. So unpack, make your bed, get your physical space organized. Once you do that, you can organize your mental space.
That’s right, we’re talking calendars. For many of us, the best way to keep organized is through numerous calendars (both physical and online), journals and to do lists. If you have never been the person to do these kinds of things, try it out. You don’t even need to spend any money! You can print out free calendar pages online and to do lists can be written out on blank paper or using an app on your phone or computer. Once you have what you need, go through your syllabi, sports calendars and other important dates you may need to remember as the weeks go by. Seniors, may I suggest including deadlines for graduation requirements which you can find here.
Finally, reflect on last semester. Think about what strategies for studying and organizing worked for you before. Did your usual study techniques work? Want to try something new? The Center for Academic Resources has some great tips and tools for time management, note taking, and study skills. Take a look.
Read and Review
Now that I’ve mentioned syllabuses, let’s talk about reading. If your professor has been kind enough to post the syllabus online, go over it now! Get ahead, if you can, too. Order some of the early required reading (I'm looking at you, English majors…) and try and get a few classes ahead. Take some notes and start getting familiar with the material.
Also, keep in mind that My Courses has a lot of cool features such as:
- Color-Coded Calendar
- To Do Lists
- Upcoming Tasks
And a lot more!
While we’re talking about reading and reviewing to get ready for the new semester, you may want to take a look back at some of what you learned last semester. If you are taking a two semester course, now is the perfect time to review what you did during the fall and refresh.
Take Care of You
The start of a new semester doesn’t mean you need to head straight back into the stressed out version of yourself. Take a deep breath and remember to schedule time for yourself during the week, and keep it up throughout the semester. There is nothing wrong with a few episodes of your favorite show on Netflix, or catching up with what you missed through that awesome Comcast Xfinity On Campus service we get through housing. If watching the tube isn’t your thing, you can try out many of the great stress relief programs we have around campus.
We are very lucky to have a wide range of services offered for students through UNH Health & Wellness to take care of your body and mind during the school year. Check out some offerings and more information below:
Taking care of yourself is more than a matter of health; make sure to schedule in some fun as well! In the first few weeks back on campus there is plenty of fun to be had so head on over the Wildcatlink and check out some great events.
-
Written By:
Samantha Gorski ’16 | UNH Tales
