Oh No, It's Only March! Tips For A Successful Second Half

My name is Christopher DeMilia, and I am one of the coaches here at the Academic Achievement Center. I'm a senior majoring in psychology, and have been a coach for two semesters.

I hope everyone reading this is feeling nice and refreshed after being away from campus and everything that goes along with it during Spring Break. Whether you've just been around the world and back, or spent the week catching up on some much needed sleep (or perhaps on those LOST episodes that you haven't watched because of school), Spring Break was a much deserved time to unwind from all of the stresses of college life. The semester, however, is only half over. Despite the wonderful weather outside, it is still only March! Here's some tips that will help you during the second half of the semester:

1. Make sure to keep attending class! You've worked so hard throughout the long winter months, and now that good weather and March Madness has arrived, you want to go outside and and enjoy yourself. It's alright to watch the NCAA Tournament games or to try and get a tan when you have the time, but never do so at the expense of going to class. Work just as hard as you did for the first half and you will be rewarded with the grades that you want. Besides, we're college students ... we have four months to get a tan later!
2. Interact with your notes. Sometimes attending class, taking notes, and reading the book still doesn't prepare you for an exam, and with finals coming up this is even more important. Study for an upcoming exam before your professor even gives you a study guide and it will pay off. For each chapter you go over, create 10 questions from your notes, and then answer them in the same format that your professor uses for their exams. You'll be more than prepared for that next test!
3. Reward yourself for a good grade. Play Ultimate Frisbee with your friends. Play catch. Relax outside in the sun. If you save these activities until after an exam, you'll be able to have fun and do them guilt-free.
4. Don't forget to talk with your professors. Seeing your professors during their office hours allows them to get to know you outside of class and see that you really are determined to do well. Go over previous exams with them, especially if you got a grade that you didn't expect. This can help you figure out how to prepare better for the next exam (and eventually the final).

I hope this can be of some help to you. Follow these four steps, and I believe you will be well on you way towards having a successful semester. It may seem like there is a lot of time left, but it will all be over before you know it!