Starting Spring Semester Right: Reflect, Plan, Organize, and Execute

The holiday season is a time for many students to recuperate after fall semester. For some students, winter break might serve as a welcomed relief after struggling through a challenging semester. For others, it might be a well-earned reward for working diligently and doing well in the fall. Whatever the case may be, coming back to a new semester comes with a slew of new challenges. Consequently, it is important to learn how to combat these challenges by utilizing effective strategies to help lay a good foundation for academic success in the spring.

Step 1. Reflect

The start of the spring semester is a great time to reflect on your academic experiences. During the first week of classes—when you have a bit more down time—make a list of your academic strengths and weaknesses. Reflect on what you did well last semester and how you plan on utilizing those strengths this semester. Also reflect on the areas you need to improve on academically. Reflecting on your past academic experiences can help you learn from your mistakes and improve your academic skill set.

Step 2. Plan

After reflecting, make a list of the academic goals you want to accomplish this semester. Next, make an action plan that details how you will accomplish those goals. Do you want to get an A in "Chemistry"? Write down the steps you will take to accomplish that goal. Maybe you will decide to utilize tutoring every week, follow a detailed study schedule, or study at least two weeks in advance for your exams. Whatever the case, as you set your goals and write an action plan, make sure that you specifically map out the strategies you will use to make your goals a reality.

Step 3. Organize

Ultimately, having goals and an action plan are useless without effective organizational skills. Once you know what you would like to accomplish this semester, set out time to organize your class materials and how you will spend your time.

Organize Your Time

Create a manageable weekly schedule that highlights when you will study for your classes. Use your syllabi to create a month-long calendar that includes assignment due dates and exam days.

Organize Your Class Materials

In addition to organizing your time, it is also crucial to organize your class materials. Create a system for organizing your class reading, lecture notes, and assignments. Utilizing color coded notebooks, binders, and folders is a great way to stay organized.

Leverage Apps

For students who prefer electronic organization, apps like Evernote and Popplet are great tools to utilize. Making sure you stay organized this semester will make it much easier to accomplish your academic goals.

Step 4. Execute

Now that you have reflected, set goals, created an action plan, and organized your time and class materials, all that’s left is to execute your plan. This step is probably the most difficult because it requires a certain level of discipline. In fact, many students start off the semester with great intentions and plans, but fail to succeed because somewhere along the line, they lose momentum. Because of this, it is essential to initially ensure that the plans and goals you create are reasonable and achievable.

It is also important to develop strategies that will help hold you accountable, such as:

• Meeting with an academic coach or tutor every week.
• Making it a point to do your homework on campus as soon as you finish class or during your downtime in between classes.
• Rewarding yourself for sticking to your weekly schedule and completing assignments on time.

Utilizing strategies like these will help you develop the discipline it takes to improve your academic skill set and do well this semester.

For more information on starting the spring semester right, visit an academic coach.