5 Ways to make Second Semester Count

by admin

Did your first semester at university give you troubles or do you feel demotivated? Donโ€™t stress!ย  Tondani shares a few tips on how to make your second semester count.

Itโ€™s no doubt that first semester is the most thrilling, yet most challenging time of the year. Whether youโ€™re still in high school or youโ€™re in university, you probably have plans to achieve the best you can in everything you do.

You might have cruised through first semester, or had it rough. You might have faced problems academically, emotionally or physically. You might have struggled to maintain good grades, or to make good friendships. Whatever the challenge, you can be glad to have another chance to do things better. Here are some tips on how:

1. Get a hobby!

Don’t forget to make time for having fun. Experience something for the first time. Explore your hobbies.

If you havenโ€™t already signed up for clubs or societies, itโ€™s never too late to get involved in something. Not only will this give you time away from your stressful books, but it also gives you an opportunity to interact with other people. This could be joining the gym, sports clubs, one or more cultural societies, or doing volunteer work.

These extra-mural activities are also great for building up your CV. Companies are not only looking to hire someone who is book-smart but they also prefer people with great social skills and confidence. They want to see that you’re compassionate about other people in the community and youโ€™re willing to help improve the lives of those less fortunate.

2. Have Your Academic Goals Set

Whether itโ€™s making a 50% pass, or getting onto the Deanโ€™s Merit List, setting a goal for yourself will always help keep you on track. You constantly need to be reminded of where you want to be so you can figure out what you need to do to get there. Write your goals down on a piece of paper and stick it up on your notice board or on your wall. Let it be a constant motivator, especially during the times when procrastination seems to be unavoidable.

Remember to always make time to reflect on your journey as you go along. Take the opportunity to look back at your first semester. Recognise the mistakes you made and figure out what measures you have to take in order to change them during second semester.

3. Stop working hard. Work smart.

For a lot of people, we are inclined to think that in order to get better grades, we need to put in more hours or we need to read the whole textbook from front to back numerous times. This has proven not to be helpful!

Trying to cram a pile of information into your mind, especially at last minute, just increases your stress levels. Instead, try find techniques that leave you feeling confident and calm, while saving the most important information in your trusted memory and understanding.

Utilize your resources. Get past papers and work through them using the memo for guidance. After a few papers, you will have figured out a pattern across all papers which will help with preparing for exams. Watch helpful videos on the course. Go see your lecturers and tutors to ask about things you’re not certain of. Ask your peers in class who understand the concept more than you do.

If possible, try to pre-read the chapter before you go into the class. Take notes in the class and afterwards, and read the chapter again to ensure your notes/summaries include all necessary things. By the start of the new week, ensure you have covered all work from the previous week. This might be difficult at first, but once you keep doing it over and over again, it becomes second nature. By the time exams comeโ€ฆ your food has already been chewed, now you just need to swallow it.

Organise something similar to a study timetable. Always make sure you spend enough time on every course every week so that at the start of the week, you have caught up and are ready to tackle the next week.

4. The right friends are key

The friends you keep are there for good and bad days. Do not aspire to create shallow friendships โ€“ so if you have negative friendships, get rid of them. Make the type of friends who you can easily talk to. Friends who can listen attentively – friends who are always willing to be there for you when you need them and friends you have fun with.

You can also be strategic in choosing the people you socialize with. Itโ€™s quite useful to know people in all your classes. You donโ€™t have to face academic challenges on your own. Sometimes itโ€™s better to work with groups of people. Having good people to talk to can also help prevent serious issues such as depression.

5. Take time off for yourself

University is not all about grades. Allocate time for no books, no friends, but just you. Analyse your well-being. You can spend the time doing nothing, personal grooming, meditating, praying or reading scriptures of your religion, listening to music or any activity of your choice. Make a few phone calls back home or go out to town. It’s important to give yourself a breather before you burn yourself out. Doing well requires your mentality to be in the right state. It’s important to always remain calm and relaxed in all situations.

ย FundiConnect 2cents

Everyone is different. What works for one person might not necessarily work for another. It’s important that you discover what works for you. For example, some people might work well during the day and some work well at night. Once you know what works for you, it becomes easier to find the best routine for you. May second semester be better than the first. Good luck! ๐Ÿ™‚

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