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Gearing up for fall

Tips to set you up for success

A person in a red and black sweatshirt reads a book with slightly worn and wrinkled pages.

By the Ecampus student success team
August 23, 2016

Fall classes begin on Sept. 21, and the success team here at Ecampus wants to make sure you have everything you need to start the term feeling confident and ready to go. Going back to school can be a hectic time for all, so here’s your chance to let the success team help you make a plan to start your classes off right.

Make a calendar

Over and over again, students struggle because they have not found a good way to keep themselves organized. This is especially true when getting back into the swing of school. A planner or a term-at-a-glance calendar is a great way to help keep track of important events and due dates all in one place. Be sure to jot down everything, including family events, assignments, project and exams. By having it all written out ahead of time, you are setting yourself up to make each week more productive – without spending extra time making daily to-do lists.

Bonus tip: Schedule your study time. By setting aside specific hours when you are going to focus on school, you will be more likely to stick to it. Include it in your planner or weekly calendar.

Go through syllabi

In order to make sure you have time for everything, it is important to know when exams will be held and major projects are due. Those weeks will more than likely require additional time, so planning in advance will help you rearrange other events and activities. Plus, you will learn more about the classes you are taking.

Bonus tip: Contact the instructor to talk about expectations, that way you will know exactly what is required for the class. This puts you and the instructor on the same page, so there is no confusion going forward. Plus, it helps you begin to build a relationship. You never know when having instructors on your side will benefit you!

Get your textbooks early

Getting your textbooks before class starts is incredibly important. Order them early to allow for time to review them and accommodate for possible shipping delays. This will help you make sure you have the correct materials while also giving you a sense of the type of readings you will be assigned. Check out these reading strategies to ensure you grasp all of the information you need from the text.

Create a designated study space

None of the previous tips will help if you are trying to do homework in bed. It is exceedingly helpful to designate a study space that has your computer, planner, homework/assignment instructions, textbooks and reminders all in one place. With a designated study space, you won’t have to spend the first 20 minutes trying to make sure you have everything you need to get started.

If you’d like help planning for fall or are interested in ongoing, one-on-one support throughout the term, let us know. The Ecampus success team is here to help! You can set up an appointment, check out our blog or browse our Pinterest page for more tips. You can also connect with other Ecampus students on the new LinkedIn student group page.

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