Students often strive to set a goal or reevaluate their priorities in the beginning of the semester in order to kick off the new term on a good note. It may be hard to hold oneself to these goals throughout the term as students slowly begin to lose their motivation. Here are some tips and tricks to avoid burning out mid-semester. They may even help seniors avoid that pesky senioritis!

Don’t put off simple tasks until the last minute. This could be something as simple as ordering textbooks, quick school assignments or even hygienic tasks such as doing your laundry. Once you get the small stuff out of the way you’ll have much more time to prepare for upcoming tests and projects. It may be only the start of the semester but bigger tasks are surely on their way. Those due dates can really sneak up on you so what better way to clear your schedule than to get all other minor tasks out of the way?

Organize, organize and organize. A typical college student cannot stress this enough. As minor as it is, purchasing a planner to keep track of school work and social events can help tremendously. Many people find that they can relieve the overwhelmed feeling just by writing things down! Some students also find that color-coding their subjects for each class helps keep them in line and allows them to find their materials easily. Plus, who doesn’t love an occasional splash of color? Additionally, keeping a clean room and work space can help you study more efficiently. After all, a clean home is a happy home.

Get out of your comfort zone! A brand-new semester is a perfect opportunity to make new friends and try new things. One can start as small as trying a new coffee place or restaurant! Many students find themselves branching out more during their second semester. There is also a wide variety of organizations at Iona College, such as clubs, Greek life, sports and more. Changing up your daily routine can make life at school so much more exciting and it will result in making many more friends. College is a place to explore and find yourself, so why not start now?

Out of all the different facets of college, self-care is the most important by far. Making sure that your mental and physical health are on top of their game is a must! Whether you want to treat yourself to a face mask, go to the gym or even get a fresh haircut, it can boost your mood instantly. Taking time for oneself can help an average college student deal with their tests and assignments that begin piling up. Stay in for a night and just chill out, go for a walk on a nice day or take a much-needed nap! One cannot have the motivation to be productive if they are not feeling too well themselves, so remember to put your mind and body above everything else.

College is a constant cycle of new beginnings and ends, so what better way to make your time great here than to start the semester on the right path! If you keep up your goals and aspirations, you won’t lose that once fiery motivation you had in the beginning of the semester. “New year, new me” is quite a cliché saying, but it can benefit students greatly if put to good use!