It’s not too late to put yourself back on track this Spring semester

The Spring semester's first week has now passed. By now you’ve all attended your first lectures of the semester or completed your first assignments. If so, hopefully you did well and managed to find a routine that works best for you. If you did, congratulations! But if you didn’t and you’re struggling to get back in the groove of things after break, here are some tips to put you back on track.

A regular and consistent sleep schedule: We all know the stereotype of sleep-deprived students going through their days like zombies, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Sleep is crucial to a student’s success. While some people can get by with less sleep, you should ideally aim for seven or more hours of sleep every night. How you get there is up to you: going to bed early, not taking early classes or rearranging your sleep schedule. Above all, get enough sleep and get it consistently. Pulling all-nighters during the week and then sleeping all day on the weekend isn’t a healthy alternative.

Find the study habits that work for you: I hope you’ll agree studying is one of the most important aspects of college. Whether it’s studying for a pop quiz, a big midterm or just making sure you’re caught up on the material, studying is essential. There is no one right way to study, so experiment to see what works best for you. Whether it is flashcards, study groups, practice quizzes or just reading the textbook. As long as your study habits are helping you pass and don’t violate any laws or UF rules, go for it.

Get involved early: Let’s face it, college can be draining. It involves long hours and difficult work. It’s even more draining if you’re alone and isolated. But you don’t have to do it alone. UF has a great community that will support you in the hardest times. You should get involved on-campus early on. Being involved can take many forms, from such as volunteering for a cause like Habitat for Humanity or participating in Greek life. When you begin to join extracurricular activities, you’ll find UF has something for everyone. Whatever you end up doing, you’ll form a network of people who will make you feel like you’re not alone in your struggles. Difficult work can start as early as the first week, so you should get involved as soon as possible to allow yourself to adjust to your new schedule.

Set aside time for leisure and relaxation: Working all the time isn’t good for anyone. You may feel more productive if you work nonstop, but eventually you’ll start to get tired and your work will suffer. So, every once in a while, you should stop working and relax a bit. Everyone has different ways to relax, for some it might be meditation and scented candles, while for others it might be funny YouTube videos and junk food. Either way, don’t be afraid to rest. How much and how long you rest depends on your personal preferences and how much work you have to do. You can try 30-minute breaks every few hours during an intensive day of work or you could take a whole day off to recover after an exhausting week. Work and leisure time need to be balanced, and it’s all about figuring out what works best for you.

If your first week didn’t go so well, or if you feel things could have gone better, hopefully these semester tips will help turn things around for you.

Jason Zappulla is a UF history junior. His column appears on Mondays.