The start of a new semester is pretty much a clean slate with new courses, classmates, teachers and extra curricular activities. But this new beginning also comes with its fair share of problems. Here are some ways to deal with common new semester problems to make sure you get off on the right foot.
Moving into a new room
Most people either live on campus or in student housing off campus. Regardless, many students spend four years of their college life moving in and out of a new place every four months. But moving doesn’t have to be all that bad. All it takes is a little coordination and discipline.
1.) To make moving in a smooth sailing process, communicate with your roommates and decide on time slots for each one to move in. This way there won’t be chaos at the door and stairs, and people won’t get annoyed by waiting for one another.
2.) Pack in outfits. It’s only four months, you’ll likely go shopping during the school year and you’ll be doing laundry at least bi-monthly. By packing in outfits, you’ll be less likely to toss in random clothes that don’t go with anything and you won’t end up wearing. Lastly, if you haven’t worn it in the past year, you’re not going to wear it in the next four months, so don’t pack it.
3.) Start a group chat before move in day and coordinate with your roommates on what appliances, crockery, pots and pans they are bringing. If they are willing to share you won’t be doubling up and you’ll all be packing less items.
New textbooks
First tuition for a new semester and now the price of books. Course material is very expensive but obviously necessary to pass the class. Be sure to buy your books in advance because the last thing anyone wants is to fall behind because the bookstore and library ran out of the textbooks. If you don’t want to buy brand new books, there are other options.
1.) Buy them second hand from a senior who doesn’t need them anymore.
2.) Buy them online. Prices online can sometimes be cheaper than your school’s bookstore. Just make sure you take into account delivery time before you order them.
3.) Go to the library first thing and borrow the book before it gets lent out.
Realising you chose the wrong class
It happens to the best of us. We sign up for something we think we can handle and would enjoy, but when we actually do it we hate it. Picking the wrong class can be nerve wracking because A.) What if it gets easier and you can actually cope, but you quit? and B.) What if all the other classes are full and you end up taking an even more daunting class? If you feel like you’ve made a wrong choice with choosing a class and it’s not mandatory for your program don’t panic.
1.) The earlier you speak to someone, the better. Go speak to the teacher of the class and express your concerns. Once you’ve seen what the teacher has to say, assess if dropping the class is the right decision.
2.) Figure out what your other options are as soon as possible. If there’s another class that interests you, inquire if there’s any room left. If there’s no other class you can take this semester, then reason with yourself on whether you should just drop the class and loose the credits, or should you stick it out knowing there’s a chance it would bring your GPA down.
New beginnings are supposed to be fun so to make sure you enjoy the whole semester take a little effort at the beginning to set the tone for the months ahead. Figure out how you’ll budget yourself and try your best to stick to it. Lastly, all work and no play isn’t a recipe for success. While you’re getting settled into your academics don’t forget to look into the clubs, sports teams and other extra curricular activities your school may offer.
