It’s that time of year again; we’ve been back at school for about a week and a half. I’m still not used to writing “2014” when filling out the date and most of us have already ditched our New Year’s resolutions.
So hopefully everyone is getting back into the swing of things and trying to figure out what his/her schedule is going to be for the coming semester, if the long weekend didn’t mess anyone up.
Even if most of your books still haven’t come in because the person who you ordered them from on eBay doesn’t understand the concept of shipping, it’s still a good idea to get a basic idea of what your workload in terms of homework is going to be each week as well as your responsibilities for extracurricular activities and your job.
Figuring out how to manage your time can be one of the most difficult things to do after break is over. Gone are the days of finding a new series to watch every episode of on Netflix or aimlessly surfing the net without worrying about other responsibilities.
I’m not saying relaxing with a little bit of Netflix isn’t OK to do every once in a while, but you should try to balance that with other activities that take priority over it.
Since you’re paying way more for your schooling than your parents are for the Netflix account, try to focus on class a little more.
Now some of you may be thinking since it’s only the second week of school, you still have a little more room to relax before you really get your head in the game, but it might be better to start focusing now.
Think about it this way. The sooner you start focusing on your responsibilities, the easier it will be to remain focused throughout the school year.
Otherwise, once the more difficult work comes along later in the semester, you may struggle a bit more trying to stay focused, especially if the work is so difficult that the arduousness deters you from wanting to do it.
Also in regards to that, if you begin to focus on some of the easier work at the beginning of the school year and you fall slightly short on the more difficult assignments, it’ll definitely help your grade.
Trust me, those weekly 10-point quizzes that a lot of people don’t like really do add up in the end.
It’ll be more beneficial to get ahead of the game early. This way, when what you really need to be doing is studying for your finals, you won’t frantically be worrying about writing down a bunch of journal entries you were supposed to be doing weekly.
That being said, there’s nothing wrong with rewarding yourself with Netflix or a bit of Internet surfing once you’ve finished all of the work you need to do. Just don’t make a habit of rewarding yourself with five hours on Facebook for answering two homework questions.
Good luck everyone and welcome back!
KHADIJA DJELLOULI
