School Has Started – Now What?
By: Nelofar Sultan
I love the beginning of a new semester. Every time a semester starts, it is exactly like starting a new chapter of life. You get a fresh start, set new goals, meet new people and accept new challenges! Of course, it can be overwhelming at times, but isn’t that the fun of it? I, for one, get SUPER excited for school because then I know I won’t be wasting my time on Netflix or eating all day (wink, wink, summer). If you like to be meaningfully busy and are all up for a successful semester, here’s five things you should do at this time.
- GET/ USE A PLANNER
I know some people hate the idea of using a planner, but, trust me, it saves yourself from bad grades. I started using planners my freshmen year of college (see, it’s never too late!) and ever since then, I have never missed any assignments, meetings or birthdays!
The best way to start using a planner is to first write down your daily class schedule. http://mydsu.dsu.edu/ is the best place for that information. Then start writing down your daily assignments as they are assigned in class. This way you can always refer to your planner the night before your class to remind yourself of all the assignments that you need to get done. Obviously, in the same manner, write down all your meeting times and use it accordingly. Viola! You have mastered the use of planners! If I may suggest, if you tend to write bigger, are taking a lot of classes or have a filled schedule with all the activities/jobs you participate in, I would invest in a larger planner with plenty of lines and room.
- FIGURE OUT YOUR SCHEDULE
Well, now that you know how to use a planner, plan out your entire semester! I know that sounds daunting but it is not that big of a deal at all. What I mean is that you should look through all your syllabi, put down all the due dates of your assignments, make sure you highlight them, so they can catch your attention instantly (before it’s too late!). After doing that, you now have the luxury to plan everything thing else. My suggestion would be to plan to go to at least one Trojan game this semester. Here’s the link to DSU’s athletic schedule for 2016-2017: http://www.dsuathletics.com/ Have fun scheduling!
- JOIN/MAKE A CLUB
Joining a club is the best way to find “your kind” of people. Not only do you get involved in something that you are interested in, you make friends and utilize your leadership skills too. Currently, I am involved in two clubs; I am the co-president of one of them. Of course, it requires work and commitment, but I do get the satisfaction that I am doing something positive on DSU campus. If you are interested in something and DSU does not have that club, you can absolutely make one. Also, club activities are a great thing to add to your resume. Here’s a list of all the clubs at DSU: http://dsu.edu/student-life/clubs-and-organizations
- MAKE (NEW) FRIENDS
Do I need to explain that more? I think not. But, I will. Refer to the CLUB tip above, or form relationships in your classes. Talking about a daunting paper or project coming up has sparked many a friendship.
- MAKE A BUDGET AND SAVE MONEY
It is so easy to spend all your summer savings in the first month of school. Not only do you need to buy text books and other school supplies, you spend a lot of it going out with friends or getting packages. If you don’t want that to happen to you, create a budget plan for yourself. Use your flex dollars and meal plan before you order that pizza! It will save you a lot of money – after all, you do pay a lot of money to buy that meal plan.
