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How to Make Your College Semester Count: Tips for a Strong Start

Writer's picture: Laura AmigoneLaura Amigone

a black and white monthly calendar sits on a black table. The calendar reads January. On top of the calendar sites a pair of brown circular glasses.

I'll tell you...the first two weeks of the semester are everything 

 

  • Strong start, finish strong.

  • Sloppy start, finish sloppy. 


In this post, we will cover why the first two weeks of the semester are important and how you or your college student can start strong and thrive all semester long.


Why the First Two Weeks in the College Semester Matter

Many students like to "ease into the semester", enjoying the lighter load before the work picks up They are full of good intentions, often mixed with unrealistic habits they plan to stick to... Sound familiar?


The Danger of Easing Into the Semester

Here's what happens:

  • During the first two weeks, students form thoughts about their classes, professors, workload, and old habits.

  • When the workload increases, negative habits and a “just get by” mentality take over.

  • Complaints, blaming, and old patterns creep in, leading to frustration and lack of progress.

 

When I start working with a college student towards the middle or end of the semester, and I learn that a class is not going well, I will ask what their thoughts about the class were in the initial two weeks. The evidence was already there, the habits were already forming, and the results started to come in the next few weeks into the semester. 

 

Why Mindset Matters

Like a ship changing directions, mindset shifts and habit changes can start to happen and make a difference, but it takes time, and only so much change can happen in the remaining weeks of a semester. So start strong!

 

A Winning Plan for the First Week


A white tablet sits on white surface. The tablet reads "weekly planner" and has a weekly planner up on the screen that mentions days, to do list, gratitude list and notes. Next to the tablet is a white tablet pen.

When I work with college clients in their first week, we focus on:


  1. Evaluating Last Semester 

    • What worked?

    • What didn’t?


  2. Setting Goals for This Semester

    • Clear, specific, and measurable goals to strive for.


  3. Clarifying habits to keep

    • Which habits helped last semester?


  4. Deciding What New Habits to Start

    • What realistic new habits can be implemented?


  5. Making a Visual Schedule

    • A plan that organizes your time and priorities for the semester



Want to learn more on how to create your schedule like a pro? Read my blog post: 5 Student Time Management Tips from a Google Productivity Exec!



Cleaning Up Negative Thoughts

After students attend their classes for the first time, we clean up all the negative thoughts such as:


  • “This professor is terrible.”

  • “This class is going to be too much work.”

  • “The readings are too long, and the assignments are too hard.”


whether those thoughts are true or not, they can easily get in the way of the action-oriented mindset and plans a student needs to focus on to stay in control of the class and the semester. 


How To Start the Semester Strong

So sit down before you get to the second week of class, and go through your evaluation of the previous semester, and the thoughts you now have about your first week of class in your new semester. Check your mindset, make a plan, and start to implement what you need to do to make this semester your best yet!

 


 

Need Help with the Upcoming Semester?

Sign up for a College Schedule Building Session! 📅

A 75-minute Zoom call to map out your weekly college schedule, set your goals for the semester, and map out an action plan.


Students can email laura@ruddercoaching.com to set up a time! Offered only during the month of January, this $225/75 min investment pays off as the semester unfolds!


 

Stay Connected for More Tips

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