Today marks the first day of classes! Yay, I’m sure we are all excited (I know I am).

Even with my excitement it takes me a while to get back into the groove of school and everything that entails; waking up early, doing homework, writing papers, etc. Throughout, my college career I have come to realize that this time is vital to my success for that semester. These first few days and weeks of class when everything seems slow is actually the perfect time to set yourself up for success.While some people can hit the ground running, I struggle in the first few weeks of school and many times I can feel this lag throughout the whole semester. If you also fall into this category I wanted to share some of my strategies to set myself up for success.

Have a sleep schedule:

After winter break with all the festivities, family gatherings, and outings with friends sleeping late and waking up late might have become the norm. Having a sleep schedule helps keep me refreshed, ready to learn, and helps with my time management. Sleep has been shown to be important for cognitive development, retention, and countless health benefits.

Take Breaks:

Even in the workforce breaks are mandatory and there is a good reason for this. Working hard can be exhausting as well as studying hard; your brain needs the time to decompress. Do something social, fun, or relaxing with friends and classmates. Some days seem to be never ending and having even 15 minutes to chat or have a quiet lunch with someone can keep feelings of loneliness or isolation away. When I can I check with my friends to see their schedule and plan ahead to meet for lunch every week or find time to study together or get a quick workout together.

Keep yourself HEALTHY:

For some of us during the semester health almost takes a back seat. We sleep late and wake up early, we eat junk food or skip meals entirely, and exercise is out the door. However, our health should be our PRIORITY, bring snacks that help your brain like almonds and dark chocolate, stick to your sleep schedule and check out the campus recreation center for health classes, gym membership and much more.

https://shadygrove.umd.edu/campus-resources/campus-recreation-center

Use the school resources:

This is the most important strategy I have for a successful semester. The Universities at Shady Grove have a long list of campus resources and student services that are geared to making sure you can maximize your time at USG. Visit the Student Services page for a list of the centers that exist on campus to help us during our time at USG.

https://shadygrove.umd.edu/student-services