It’s trimester two, the last trimester (fingers crossed) of my undergraduate degree. I can taste the freedom but can’t help but feel there’s a lot of blood, sweat and hopefully not too many tears between the finish line and I. It’s still early in the trimester, but I can feel the pressure mounting. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like I may soon begin to drown in the haze of assignments and midterms. This week I’ve tried my upmost to get organised, and hopefully some of these tips will help you too!
1) Analyse your Syllabi
It’s important to take the time to look over the module components and how they are broken down in each subject at the beginning of term. Mark in your diary (yes, get a diary/calendar) when midterms are scheduled and projects are due and work towards completing and studying for them in order.
2) Calculate your Degree GPA
This may sound elementary but it’s something that isn’t done enough. Find out the breakdown of your degree, it could be split between your penultimate and final year or not, and it may be 50:50 or 30:70 either! Your programme office should be able to help you complete a degree calculator and this will help you set goals for specific grades this term.
3) Set Deadlines
Everything seems easier to me when it is broken into manageable little chunks, especially big group projects. Make a list of what has to be done e.g. research topic and papers, analyse papers, main conclusions, presentation etc. and work out deadlines using your calendar of set deadlines. Your partners may find you a little controlling in the beginning but it’s worth it to stay on track! Daily goals can also help you accomplish a lot more then you could ever imagine. Make sure not to overwhelm yourself though, as you will probably end up procrastinating by watching videos of cats for hours instead of studying!
4) Manage your time
Forgive me if I sound like your mother but it is important to try and get a routine together. Say you have two lectures on a Monday, one at 9am, and the other, a tutorial at 4pm, hold a group project meeting, head to the gym, grab some lunch and head to the library in between. It’s all about making the most out of your day. Ensure to get in some chill out time too though, it’s only the beginning but staying on top of things will make life a lot easier come mid-term season!
5) Make time for yourself
This is essential. You are your number one priority, you will be with you until the day you die (and maybe afterwards depending on what your beliefs are) and it’s important to look after you! Whether you have football with the lads on a Tuesday night, a nail appointment with the girls on a Thursday in time for the weekend or intend to spend more time with relatives or pets, it’s always important that you make time to de-stress.
