Back to School @ Lehigh: Tips to stay on track
It’s the first week of class and Lehigh is buzzing with activity and optimism. All over campus outfits are coordinated, skin is tanned, and pencils sharpened and ready to go. My binders are in pristine condition, with a strict organization strategy that I promise myself I’ll stick to throughout the semester. Each semester begins the same, full of ambition and excitement, which usually lasts a few good… weeks.
Once the “honeymoon period” is over and tests and projects begin to pile up, it can become a challenge to stay organized. Having three years of college under my belt, I have picked up a few tricks and tools along the way that you can use to help sustain that same first-day optimism past the month of September.
- The most obvious way to stay on top of your obligations is to use a planner. Write everything in it. Not just the day of the midterm, but also those small errands you usually put off. Seeing a list of your responsibilities makes it much easier to group the related ones together and use your time more efficiently.
- Try to take advantage of awkward time gaps between classes. While it may be tempting to stay in your dorm and catch up on your favorite TV shows, take advantage of being in “class mode” and find a quiet place where you can review notes or get small assignments done (library anyone?).
- Use new technologies to stay on track throughout the semester. StudyTracker, developed by GradeGuru, is an app I plan to use to manage the time I spend at the library. It allows you to enter your courses and log the amount of time you spend studying for each, connecting your efforts with your eventual grade and even graphing the results. It’s a great way to see the link between study hours and results, showing you which courses to spend more study time.
After the temperature drops and the first few weeks are long gone, it becomes more difficult to jump out of bed in the morning ready to attack the day. However, armed with a detailed planner and tools like StudyTracker, you will be better equipped to fight the mid-semester slump.
For more information about StudyTracker, watch this video overview or go to gradeguru.com/tools. StudyTracker will be available in the Apple Store soon. Check back for release date.
