By Jenna Saperia
Starting the term off is tough no matter what your break was like. Whether you went back home to Portland or traveled the world, starting a new term off is rough for everyone. Here are some great tips to get you on the right track with winter term!
Try Making A Schedule! On the first day of every class ever you receive a syllabus, or least a link to one. This means that on the first day of school you receive the due date of almost every assignment for that term. Keeping up to date on when things are due can help you manage time, ensuring you have time to study, do homework, watch Netflix, and sleep. Trust me, doing all of it is possible! Just spending an hour one day, with your favorite television show in the background, can help you never miss a due date. In addition, knowing when your finals are helps you already start planning your spring break…the next thing to count down the days too. It’s 53 if you were wondering!
Keep Track of Assignments! Forgetting one or two assignments is not going to be detrimental, until your grade is sitting judgingly at a 79.86% and you know that east 5 point assignment you blew off could have saved your grade, but at the time binge watching on Netflix seemed like a better option. It’s never wrong to take a break and watch a little television. Your brain sometimes cannot handle the constant overload of stimulus that homework puts on you. To ensure that no homework gets left behind, take breaks without putting your homework away. Watch a 22 minute How I Met Your Mother episode then return to your work. You’ll be fresher and more focused on your work. Making a check list of assignments at the beginning of your homework completion session can be super helpful too! Take a break, and start the next assignment.
Plan out Meals! The days have already begun to smush together. The breaks you have during the day can either be wasted or taken advantage of. I am 100% guilty of letting an hour break fly by as I numbingly lay on my bed listening to music, counting the little white dots on my popcorn painted ceiling. As the year went on, I learned that I was forgetting to eat. The days were going by so quickly that I wasn’t even thinking about using the time for food. Planning your day around when you are going to eat can not only make the day go by faster, but it can give those break times purpose. It doesnt matter if you go back home and make something, bring something with you, or if you buy something in the dining halls, eating is necessary to keep your mind alert and focused during class. It will not help you get ahead when your teacher is taking attendance and they call out your name and you answer with “pop tart” because that’s what was on your mind.
Manage Your Money! Yes, the dining halls are pre-made and super convenient, but if you are not on the correct dining plan they are expensive. Fred Meyer, Safeway, and Winco have some great priced meals that are just easy easy to make at home. And no, mac’n’cheese is not your only option. In addition, you now live in Corvallis, and lets be honest, we don’t have the best shopping centers if you are a shopaholic. Online shopping can be tempting. You press a button and 5-10 days later your outfit arrives at your front step. In a month or two, you will realize that now you will just be looking super stylish sitting in your room alone because you can’t afford to go to the movies with all your friends. Saving a little at a time can make your whole term stress free and smoother. Now go enjoy that movie in last year’s clothes, no one will know!
