It is that time of year again. The infamous Dead Week is now upon us. For many of us, it seems that all the professors decided to cram in all the information they forgot to cover into one week. For others, it seems that the stack of homework reaches the ceiling. Dead Week does not have to be the end-all-be-all of your academic career if you follow a few simple tips.
Manage your time
Some assignments take more time than others. Set your priorities. Decide which tasks will have the greatest effect on your grade and dedicate the most time to completing them. Sometimes some of the smaller assignments have to fall to the wayside. If something has to give, plan out what it will be. You would hate to run out of time writing a speech that is a third of your grade because you spent hours on optional reading.
Do not procrastinate
We all have that one paper, project or test that we cannot seem to find the energy to complete. There seems to be a giant black cloud looming overhead that you can either deal with now or put off and regret your decision later. All assignments feel smaller when they are broken up into smaller chunks, but starting an assignment the day it is due will feel overwhelming. You are better than your assignment. Face it head on and show it who is boss.
Set goalsÂ
Yes, everyone wants to earn all As and win the lottery, but make your goals reasonable for you. Setting goals should help motivate you and help you feel successful after you meet them. Goals do not have to be big. They can be as simple as reading two chapters and then working four problems. Making goals will help you complete your assignments and boost your self-image.
Find time to relax
Some people feel that the quality of their work directly corresponds with the amount of hours they spend working on it. This, sadly, is not always true. In some cases, it is better to spend one hour focusing on a project than to spend two hours wondering why the assignment is hard or what you are going to have for dinner. Walk around the library every now and then and let your mind relax or focus on something else. Go visit the gym or have lunch with friends. Dead Week does not have to be like an avalanche of homework. Stay ahead, focus and hit the books.
