Academic Success

Committing to an organized semester will help you to stay motivated, keep stress levels down, and accomplish more in a short period of time. Try out some of the following suggestions to get and stay organized:

• Set goals by month, week, and day that outline what you want to accomplish. Be specific!
• Commit to specific studying times and hold yourself accountable. Building a routine is important. Commit to these times by adding them into your planner and/or calendar.
• Set up your study space in a way that is clean, free from distractions, uncluttered, and comfortable. Make sure you have plenty of light.
• Include all of your obligations on your digital calendar and ensure that you set alarms for items you might forget.
• Determine a daily or weekly time to ensure that all of your notes and course materials are present, organized, and complete. Update when and where it is necessary.
• Determine a daily or weekly time to ensure that your personal space is clean and tidy. Get rid of clutter and put everything in its designated spot. Choose one thing to deep clean each week (vacuuming counts as deep cleaning).
• Keep a “to do” list and add everything that you need to complete. This list does not need to have details, but should include everything you need to do. You can use a note in your phone, a physical notebook, your phone’s “Reminder” application, or the tool of your choice. As long as it is easily accessible and can hold a list, you are on the right track.

Pro tip: Use the Counseling Center's goal setting worksheet to think about how to develop and accomplish your goals. 

You will likely not learn information through osmosis or last-minute cramming. Learning is a process that takes time, planning, and a good amount of effort. Creating a plan of attack for each of your courses, as well as for you as a whole student, is a great place to start the process of learning. For each of your courses, a study plan should include the following items:

• Expectations set by your professor. Did your professor mention that they do not want to see any spelling or grammar errors in your papers or they will take points off? Did they mention that you need to have read carefully before class for discussions? Do they require you to solve problems the way they do in class?
• A list of concepts that your professor will cover (get this from your syllabus).
• An overview of due dates and test dates, and when you plan to complete the work or study for the exam. Be realistic and plan ahead.
• A breakdown of the best ways to study and get work done for this course (e.g., doing practice problems, taking notes on the readings, creating and using flashcards, teaching others, reviewing past exams, using a test bank, attending a Guided Study Session, attending the Math Success Program, spending time in a lab, having a friend quiz you, etc.).
• A timeline for studying information that includes consistent time for review, even if there is not a test or assignment coming up. Add this to your master calendar.
• A location for studying. Try to get out of your room and use study spaces on campus. If you study in your room, avoid your bed! 
• How you will hold yourself accountable for carrying out your plan. Do you need to plan library trips with a friend? Will you join a study group?

Pro tip: Use the Quiet Spaces Guide to start looking for alternative study spaces.