Enrolling in summer courses can often times be daunting. For instance, you must sacrifice sun-drenched opportunities and cram an entire semester’s work into one month. It can often feel overwhelming and lead to the engulfing question of why.
However, there is a bright, sunshine-y side to every situation. We wanted to share a couple of tips to maximize productivity in order for you to have a healthy balance between school and beach!
Plan ahead. Summer courses require a larger work load because of their shorter duration; therefore, they require you to plan ahead. It is imperative to set aside an hour or two one day a week in order to plan out all of your upcoming tasks. Purchase a productivity planner which will help you visualize the tasks you need to complete and the expected time of completion. But, it does not stop there; you must actually follow through with your plans. Assignments are chaotic enough; don’t prolong stress by being unorganized.
Make friends in your classes. Summer classes coupled with a quick scroll through social media, can often times lead to a feeling of isolation. Lucky for you, there are several other people in the exact same boat. Reach out to the people in your classes. Form study groups. Start group messages. This way, you can brave the summer months with some companions and hopefully form long-lasting friendships. Miriam Clifford, of Teach Thought (2011), suggests that a group should be comprised of three to four individuals, and she suggests that the group decides on shared goals.
Give yourself a break. Dedicating time to assignments and attending class is important. However, education is supposed to be fun. In order to stay focused and have a clear mind, you must take a break. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a break. Grab coffee with a friend and communicate. Go for a walk. Swim. Even pause for five minutes and dance around your room.
The most important tip we can offer is to be proud of yourself. Although summer classes (and all classes for that matter) require a lot of time, sacrifice and dedication, you are advancing your intellect and your career. Education is not awarded to all individuals; instead of feeling stressed – feel thankful.
We hope these tips help our readers. We want to hear from you, how do you cope with stressful summer?