As exciting as a new school year may seem in the weeks leading up to it, that can quickly fade to resentment without the proper preparation. Use these tips to manage your assignments and commitments while making the most out of your year:
Get organized. Whether you love old-school paper and pen or swear by your iPhone calendar app, make sure to have a plan in place before showing up to the first day of class. A planner with plenty of room to write or a multi-functioning app such as Fantastical is key.
Start early. Keep track of important due dates right from the beginning. Professors generally give out due dates with the class syllabus (which is often available on Blackboard before the first day of class). Take advantage of this by outlining your calendar early. That way you’ll know ahead of time when you can take on extra responsibilities or have time to plan something with friends.
Freshen up your online presence. Between sunny vacations and demanding internships, it can be easy to let your social media accounts go dormant during the summer. Take the week before school to bring them up-to-date. Add that summer job or internship to your LinkedIn profile, send out a few professional tweets, and remove the bikini pic from your Facebook profile. Now you’re all set to begin networking with professors, peers and professionals.
Join a new campus organization. Make this the year you go above and beyond by getting involved on campus. Before you head back to school, do some research on the organizations you can join. Whether that’s applying to be part of Allen Hall Public Relations, attending the first PRSSA meeting, or lending your skills to a campus cause, be sure to try something new. You’ll never know what passion or career path you may discover until you do.
How are you preparing for the new term?
Hannah Osborn, Public Relations Director, is a senior pursuing a double major in public relations and magazine journalism. She manages all UO PRSSA social and digital media platforms. Follow her on Twitter at @hannahmarieoz.
