7 Simple Tips to Prepare for a New Semester

Summer will be sadly coming to an end soon so it’s important to start preparing for the new semester.

Plus, if you’re going to be living on campus next semester, you definitely need to make sure you have all your dorm room items ready for move-in day.

Of course it’s always hard to say goodbye to summer but unfortunately, we have to face the inevitable.

This post will show you 8 easy tips to follow to prepare for a successful new semester!

Tips to Prepare for a New Semester:

1. Write down your goals

One of the most important things you should do at the beginning of the semester is to write your goals down. It’ll help you make sure you’re staying on track and feel like you have a purpose.

If you’re an incoming freshman and you don’t really have any, be sure to look at these common freshman mistakes so you know what not to do in your first year.

If you’re not a college freshman and you’re still not sure, don’t stress yourself too much about it. Your goals don’t have to be anything elaborate just yet (unless you want it to be).

Keep in mind that prioritizing self-care and finding a balance in college is also important, so that could be a goal to consider.

Your goals could be either academic, social, personal, and so on. Examples include:

Improving your GPA (Check out these 14 tips on how I maintained a 4.0 GPA!)
Making new friends/going out more
Getting an internship

2. Make your class schedule / Research your professors

If you haven’t already, be sure to finalize your class schedule before the first week. You should also definitely make sure you’re using RateMyProfessors.com to research your professors before you take their classes. The worst thing you can do is pick a horrible professor and fail a class that’s required for your major.

Pro tip: don’t worry if you didn’t get a class you really want to take because it’s full. Students often drop classes during the first week of the semester (and before that) so be sure to check your school’s website frequently to get in a class you want.

3. Get your school supplies

Believe it or not, you’re actually going to need a couple of school supplies for college.

If you’re someone who prefers to type up your notes and do everything on your laptop (like me), this still applies! You’re going to need a couple of basic school supplies, and you may need others depending on your major/classes.

Be sure to check out my post on 15 school supplies you can’t forget to get you started!

4. Get your dorm room supplies

If you’re moving in on campus next semester then you’re probably super excited to decorate your dorm room. You probably already started looking!

If you still aren’t sure yet, you can check out these 15 insanely cute dorm room ideas that’ll definitely make your roommate jealous!

If you’ve already channeled your inner Picasso and don’t need any more inspiration, make sure you have these dorm room must-haves on your college shopping list!

Related: 30 Items That Will Transform Your College Dorm Room

5. Read your syllabi

It’s very common to get a summer reading assignment, especially if you’re a freshman. You may also have some assignments to complete prior to the first day of class, depending on your major/professor.

Be sure to read the syllabus to not be one of those students who didn’t do the assignment. Not only could it negatively affect your grades, but it’ll also leave a bad first impression with your professor.

Reading your class syllabus is also important to take note of your assignment due dates and test days. You want to make sure you put them in your Google Calendar or planner early so you never miss an assignment!

6. Prepare your Google Calendar

I would highly recommend using Google Calendar to organize your life in college. A planner is also optional if you prefer to write things down, but Google Calendar has its own perks.

For example, one way I would use Google Calendar is to send alerts to my phone at least 3 days before an assignment is due so I’d have enough time to do it. This also comes in handy when you have events like job interviews, school programs, and networking events.

Enter all of your assignment due dates in Google Calendar (with reminders if necessary) for every class. You can also color code each class by creating a New Calendar for each course code. Here is a screenshot of how I did mine:

For more info on how I used Google Calendar to stay organized, check out this post:
14 Habits of Successful College Students that will Boost Your GPA

7. Adjust your sleeping schedule

If you’re already an early bird because you just love mornings… you’re one of the few. Congratulations on such an achievement because it’s definitely a struggle for most of us!

If you’re a self-proclaimed night owl like me, bad news – you’re going to have to change your schedule.

That is unless you scheduled all your classes for the afternoon because you knew you’d never make it to those 8:00 am’s!

If that’s the case, congrats on having the flexibility in your schedule to do that. Though, it may actually help you be a bit more productive if you wake up earlier.

If you didn’t get that opportunity then it’s definitely not a choice for you. You have to adjust your schedule to start waking up earlier. But don’t worry, here’s an article to help: