How students prepare for finals | Photo by Jessica Fugett | The Wright State Guardian
Whether it is your first semester at Wright State, your first semester of college or just your first semester for this school year, knowing how to make the best of it will help set you up for success.
Tip one
Know your deadlines as soon as possible. If you have deadlines listed in your syllabi, keep track of them. A planner can be useful—either on your phone or in an agenda—to keep track of assignment due dates.
If you have a few days that have a lot of assignments due, start them early. The earlier you start, the more likely you are to finish it all on time.
Also, prioritize the task that you either know you will struggle with or that you will need more time to complete. If you have an entire book to read and a pre-lab due on the same day, figure out which one will take you more time. If the book will take you more time, then start that a few days before the due date.
Tip two
Try not to take on too much at once. While being involved on campus is incredibly important, not everyone has the time to join more than one or two clubs, and that is okay. Try to join as many as you can and the ones that you are passionate about, but do not stretch yourself too thin.
The other part of this tip is to join clubs and activities that either fit your schedule or that hold study sessions. Joining just a few clubs that you can be an active participant in will be better as opposed to joining as many clubs as possible and merely being an occasional attendant.
Tip three
Reach out to your professors. The beginning of the semester is the perfect time to develop a good relationship with your professors. Start with introducing yourself before or after class, attending their office hours and emailing them with any questions you may have. Your professors are your biggest resource. There are a number of benefits that can come from starting the semester with a strong relationship with them.
If you have any reason to miss class in the future or turn anything in late, professors that know you and know your work ethic are much more likely to be lenient than professors who do not really know you.
If you ever need help with their class or with navigating the semester in general, professors can offer incredible advice to you. They can, and most will, happily help you with any school-related questions or concerns you may have.
Even after you are done with their class or done with school entirely, professors can be incredible references for work. Having a professor write a letter of recommendation for you can help elevate your resume.
Starting strong leads to success
Starting the school year strong is a helpful way to finish the school year strong. When stress and assignments pick up later in the semester, you are not scrambling to complete things if you start the year off right.
