
Gerald Sastra/ The Cougar
Whether it’s a returning student or an incoming freshman, starting any college chapter can be exciting but also confusing and tense.
But with the right approach and a few practical tips, students can set themselves up for a successful and stress-free semester ahead.
Motivation
Before starting any new period, creating a productive mindset will make all the difference. There are three main points to creating a more impactful and motivational mindset: reflecting, visualizing and staying eager.
Reflect back on the past semesters and see what worked and what didn’t. This will allow students to be conscious of past mistakes and improve on them.
Visualize goals to achieve in the upcoming semester and mark them down as a reminder. This can be used to aim for a better grade point average or simply work on improving mental health.
Finally, stay eager and excited for this semester. A new semester means a different beginning, along with endless opportunities.
Academic preparation
Students have a tendency to skim past the syllabus, but by reading it and planning ahead on due dates will save a lot of stress and time.
It will also help find any special grading rules or important resources professors provide. Students can also save stress by planning a study schedule. This will enable them to block off time strictly for studying and balance extracurriculars more efficiently.
At UH, students can also utilize the various resources for all academic issues, ranging from tutoring to career counseling.
Personal organization
Being overwhelmed during this transition can cause a mess. Simply cleaning and re-organizing study areas or the bedroom will reduce feelings of stress.
Create a budget for the upcoming semester. This will allow a plan for upcoming expenses like books, tuition or groceries.
It will also enable students to be conscious of how much they should and shouldn’t be spending, creating economic awareness.
Health and wellness
Balancing the academic and health values in a student’s life can create a more successful year. Prioritizing sleep by getting at least eight hours a day will lead to more focus and energy, according to an article by Harvard Summer School.
Working out at a gym is a great choice, but for some people, it is not an option because of various issues like finances and time commitments.
However, even walking for 30 minutes shows great results in mind flow, creativity and reducing anxiety, according to a study.
College is known for being one of the most stressful and exhausting times in a student’s life. But, it is important to make mental health a key tool in order to ensure a successful semester.
Luckily, the University has various resources to help aid the mental health journey. The Counseling and Psychological Services provides services, from 24/7 mental health chat to a wide range of services.
Stay social
College can take up a student’s entire time and energy, which doesn’t leave much room to relax and even less of a social life.
However, enjoying the college environment and the people it brings with it is essential. College is hard to survive alone, therefore it is important to find people who have similar tastes and mindsets.
Staying social will enable students to find friends and build meaningful relationships, creating connections that might be helpful down the road.