End of the Semester Preparation: A Guide to Finishing Strong

Congratulations War Hawks, we are in our last few weeks of this school year before summer break. I hope you all are just as excited as I am, summer break is on the tips of our fingers. I know that with it being the end of the semester there is a lot of extra stress that comes along with it but there are several things that you can do to make the workload a little less stressful and prepare yourself for a good end to a long semester.

When asking several students what their cause of stress is around this time in the semester the answer was almost always that they felt they were running out of time to finish all their end of the semester projects, papers, journals, and to study for their big exams. They felt underprepared for all the things they must accomplish.  I feel like we all get this way at times, so much to do with so little time. This is when I realize that I must focus on the things that are important and manage my time wisely. Time management is a huge skill that will help with stress and help you to prepare accordingly when it comes to all the required materials that must be turned in. Students tend to romanticize the idea of studying, keeping motivated to complete homework may appear easy at the start of the school year. However, some people discover that it gets harder and harder to maintain the motivation they had at the beginning of the year. Making routines, establishing goals, and prioritizing critical work all contribute to academic success that we all strive for at the end of the semester. Establishing a routine is crucial if you want to end the semester strong. You may easily discover the ideal balance by developing a pattern, whether you make daily to-do lists or divide your focus among several study areas during the day. It is extremely important to establish and maintain a healthy balance between your social and academic lives.  

A huge part of being successful is taking care of yourself, make yourself a priority and you will be successful. Taking care of yourself is not only good for your overall well-being but can also lead to an increase in motivation to complete all your goals before school is out for the year. Self-care looks different for everyone so find what helps you to be a better you and make time for it. Setting priorities for critical assignments is essential if you have fallen behind or are in the process of falling behind as the semester draws to a close. I advise looking up the point values of all assignments in your grade book. With this knowledge in mind, you’ll be able to decide which assignments you need to finish first to ultimately earn a higher grade and score!

The best advice for successfully concluding this academic term is to avoid procrastination. I know firsthand the strain that comes from procrastinating because I am also guilty of it. Considering this, I advise you to use each of the previously mentioned tips to prevent procrastination and falling behind. You may easily end the semester strong by managing your time, developing a routine, and reviewing due dates; all you need to do is to keep believing in yourself.