Getting in the groove of school after spring break is always difficult, but with only six weeks left in the semester, there’s little time to slack off. To help get the ball rolling, get your sleep schedule back on track, organize your belongings and reward yourself for your accomplishments. | Photos.com
After a week of being free do to pretty much whatever you want, getting back to the daily grind will always be tough. You might find yourself too relaxed to get back into the academic mindset — especially since the weather is warmer and everything is in bloom, which makes it even more tempting to skip class and occupy your time with everything else besides school. Since there are only a few weeks left, here are a few pointers on how to finish the semester with a bang.
Catch plentiful shut-eye
The most important factor involved in getting back in the groove after spring break is getting your sleep schedule back on track. Some might have gotten used to the time off from school to catch up on sleep, but if you went somewhere over the break, there’s a good chance you haven’t slept in your own bed for a couple of nights.
Set out to get a solid seven or eight hours — only you know how much sleep you need to perform your best — and avoid hitting the snooze button in the morning. Once your feet hit the ground, try your best to be productive — if you’ve got extra time, read a chapter to get ahead in class, work out or do whatever you need to do to get your blood flowing. This will keep you on your toes for the rest of the day.
Dust off your planner
Now more than ever, it’s important to write down upcoming events and tests on your calendar or in your planner. It’s reasonable to assume that tests and quizzes scheduled for after spring break got pushed to the back of your mind as excitement for the break itself stole a majority of your thoughts. However, nothing is going to help regain focus better than writing down everything you need to remember in the coming weeks.
It’s also a good idea to organize your binder, desk, bookshelf and anything else that’s a part of your academic life. Even going so far as to clean out your closet and rearrange your room can break the monotony to help you clear your mind.
As far as getting focused goes, you can’t go wrong with the number one organization tool of all time — the to-do list.
Knowing what you’ve got to accomplish in a day will help keep your mind sharp, because, in theory, your entire day will be spelled out for you. It’s also a good way to keep the pace of your day and nothing makes you feel better than crossing things off your list.
Reward yourself
It’s always nice to have something to look forward to after a long day. If you reward yourself for checking everything off your to-do list in a day, your motivation to go get things done will increase significantly — not surprising.
Even small things, like a glass of wine or frozen yogurt at the end of the day — or for bigger tasks, buying yourself a new pair of shoes or that video game you’ve been wanting — should help get the ball rolling when it comes to completing tasks. However, be reasonable and reward yourself with things that are proportional to the tasks you’re completing. Otherwise, you’ll eventually reward yourself without doing the work required.
Don’t let yourself drop the ball at this point in the semester — there are only six weeks left. Losing steam is natural, but remember that summer will be here soon enough. If you find yourself wanting to skip class on a beautiful day, at least be as productive as possible. Now’s the time to kick it into high gear, Coogs.
