Five tips to prepare for a successful semester 

By Hailey Schopper, August 26 2024—

It is the dreaded part of summer: the end. With the first day of classes nearing, many students begin feeling excitement and stress. No matter how you are feeling, this article will help you prepare with five ways to get organized and ready for the upcoming semester. 

Clean your space

First, this may seem a little unusual, but I recommend you clean your space. Whether you live at home, in dorms, or on your own, creating a space that motivates and encourages your studies is extremely beneficial. Trust me, I know how it goes: you sit down to study but notice how messy your room is, so instead of studying you spend far too much tidying it so that you can focus. I agree that a clean space helps focus which is why I suggest you clean and organize your space before classes start so you simply have to maintain it once they do. 

Create spreadsheets

Moving on, one of my favourite methods of school organization is creating spreadsheets for your assignments and readings. Before your classes begin review your syllabi and put all your readings and assignments into two separate spreadsheets. For readings, include a week-by-week breakdown of how many pages you are expected to read to easily see upcoming deadlines. As for assignments, include the due date and a tentative start date to provide a visual breakdown of what you need to complete each week. This is extremely helpful as it provides an easy way to track your coursework. 

Review required reading lists

My third tip is to check your required reading list which you can do by visiting the UCalgary bookstore website. I know everyone wants to be prepared and buy all their books before classes; however, it is better to wait until your first class and hear what the professor says about it in case they give more specific instructions. By reviewing your required books before classes you know where to look when classes start. I recommend checking out Bound and Copied, the university’s used bookstore.

Find a planning method

Up next, the most important thing you can do for yourself as a student before the semester starts is to find a planning method that works for you. You may not know what that is yet, but by setting up multiple systems before classes begin you can immediately implement them into your life and decide what works best for you. This can include a daily planner, monthly calendar, Notion website, phone calendar, and a million other options. There is a method for everyone, and I promise that trial and error is worth it since you gain valuable organization. 

Look for upcoming events 

Finally, make your semester more fun by looking at upcoming events on campus. University can be tough at times, but it is important to enjoy yourself and put your mental health first. Some events to look forward to are Kickoff (August 30) and Clubs Week (usually held during the last half of September). Pay attention to posters around the university and follow some UCalgary Instagram accounts that interest you to keep you informed on what is happening on campus.

While university can be stressful, it can also be really fun, that is why I recommend you take these five steps before classes start to set yourself up for a successful year. Good luck everyone, and have a good semester!