End-of-semester Crunch

Believe it or not, the end of the semester is approaching.   At my institution we have four weeks of classes left followed by a week of final exams.  In the middle of that time is a week for Thanksgiving Break.    A lot of things are due and a lot of activities are scheduled.  Here are some ideas for handling the end -of-semester overload and stress:

• Look at the time as a whole – map out the final weeks, see what you have due and when.  When are your finals?  How much time do you have off for Thanksgiving?

• Work ahead and have projects done a day or two early.  Problems always happen – you run out of printer ink or money for the copy machine for example!

• Is there a final that is critical to a higher grade in that class or a class that has been challenging all semester?  If so, make a study guide and review that information for about 15 – 20 minutes every day above and beyond your regular studying.

• Make sure you know if each final is cumulative or covers the last unit of the semester.

• Start to prepare for exams now.  Don’t wait for the professor to tell you what will be on the exam.  Study everything.

• Plan some off time to handle the end-of-semester stress.  Plan a movie date or dinner with friends.  Also, look forward to the time off over Thanksgiving and between semesters.   You can work hard for a few weeks if you know some relaxing time will follow!

This is a busy and fun time of the year.  You can enjoy it and still end the semester well with a good time management plan.

First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (of Any Semester) of College, by Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.