9 Things To Do Before A New Semester

Regain your habits

The first thing you should do this semester is regain your habits. Restructuring your day again and getting a workflow going will do wonders for you.

Trying to regain your habits while you're getting accustomed to new schedules and routines is kind of overwhelming, so making sure that your time management foundations are set will make it easier to incorporate new things into your routine once the new semester kicks in.

Think about consolidating your fitness routine, solid sleeping habits and cleaning routine, as well as a good meal prep plan before you start the new semester.

Set your knowledge base

A knowledge base is a repository of information where we store and index notes, projects and other types of data.

While we can create a knowledge base in an analog format, it's definitely recommended that you use an app to do this. Using an app for knowledge base allows you to access your information anywhere type faster.

Some apps to create your knowledge base include Notion, Evernote, Roam Research, or MS OneNote.

Make a Time Management Plan

You should also be thinking about putting together a time management plan. It should tap into your daily routine, your monthly or yearly events, and the weekly schedule.

Although there's some info you can't anticipate yet, it's not about creating a fully detailed schedule. You can easily start drafting your system by filling your calendar with known appointments, events, breaks, and holidays.

Start envisioning a balanced weekly and daily routine that is packed with productive focus time slots, but also time off to allocate to your personal needs.

Morning and Bedtime Routines

The beginning of a semester is the time to start practicing your morning and bedtime routines, especially for someone who has a natural tendency to prefer routines that are not tailored to your future schedule in college.

Start by setting alarms that gradually guide you to optimal bedtime and waking hours to start developing the simple habits that can put you in the right mood to start and end your day on a positive note.

Connect Your Time Slots

You can link big directions you want to take in your life with small habits that you enjoy, like your eating routine to help you wind down and slowly get you into the mood to close the day and prepare for the following morning.

Consider setting up the ideal playlists whenever you're transitioning between different phases or routines.

Use Music as the Sound Track of Your Life

This one is pretty self explanatory. Just build the playlist that manifests the type of mood and rhythm you want to mimic during the semester.

Clean Your Stuff

This is also a great time to declutter and minimize supplies, apps, and tech. Look through your supplies and ask yourself: Do I need this now? Is there a good chance I will need this this semester?

Taking into account what's left will help you focus on maximizing the use of each tool instead of collecting multiple ones. Simplify your stuff so you make space and time for more relevant things.

Find Your Study Space

You should also focus on creating a study space that minimizes distractions. Your study area doesn't have to be somewhere static in a dedicated office or corner of your room.

Drastically minimizing the amount of gadgets and supplies I use worked great for me. Set up your space with proper outlets, cables, lighting, and music to create an effective study environment.

Make Your Life Simpler

Try to avoid overstimulation and live a slower life: you don't need to be running all the time to be productive. You can accomplish so much by purging a routine of non-important things.

Cultivating a mindset of mindfulness and intention will do wonders for you this semester.

Prepare for the Course Material

Start drafting your outlines and create a master list of textbooks you'll need for the semester. It's never too soon to start preparing and getting into the studying mindset.

Even if you take only 30 minutes per day doing this, it's helpful to start looking at your class syllabus or descriptions to get familiar with the topics you'll be studying.

Start a New Hobby

This may sound counterproductive, but it's actually a great idea to learn something new during this prep phase before you're actually forced to learn whatever you'll be learning in college.

Take this time to subscribe to a website where you can take online classes on something fun that you really enjoy. This will help you establish good habits that you can carry over into your next semester.

Do Totally Non-Productive Things

Feel free to take this prep time to sit back and enjoy binge-watching some series before your schedule is packed to the brim with classes.

Remember, life is not only about being productive—it's about being happy!