3 Tips to Get Back on Track After the Holidays
Monitor, complete, and review your tasks to make this semester a breeze.
If you're in high school, you've just enjoyed a lovely holiday break, but now you're back to school. There's only a month left of the semester, but that means all your final projects, essays and exams are coming due.
If you're in post-secondary, you've got it a bit easier: a new semester is beginning, which means new courses, classmates and profs — which could be a double-edged sword!
Either way, how in the world can you get motivated to get back into the swing of the school year? Here's some advice that has helped me in the past.
1. Write down all of your assessments and exams on cue cards and on a calendar
When I was in high school, I started this habit of writing down all of my assignments and tests for "hell month" on a cue card. I would write down the class, the assignment and the date in different colours and correspond them into a calendar. This let me see what I needed to accomplish, as well how much time I had between tasks. It was rewarding to cross off each task on my cue card. I kept it in the back of my phone case so I always had it on hand!
2. Focus on getting the first part of bigger assignments done now
You may think that getting the smaller tasks out of the way is the right way to approach your projects. Unfortunately, this can mean bigger tasks get swept under the rug. Look at your assignments, figure out the biggest elements, and focus on getting them done. For example, if you have an essay to do and you need to have two books chosen, read, and a thesis written, you don't want to do all of that in a week — or the night before the essay's due. You could try reading your books during downtime between tasks and just before bed, to help you fall asleep.
3. Start reviewing now
It may feel too soon to start reviewing for exams now, but doing so will make your life a lot easier. Do a quick scan through your notes and flag any concepts you don't know. You should also go through your previous tests and see if you know the answers to the ones you got wrong. By flagging the gaps in your knowledge, you can ask for help now before teachers and fellow students are busy.
Ultimately, motivation must come from within. When you're running low on steam, try to picture the finish line, and know that with enough hard work and perseverance, you'll get there!