[Student Life] How to make a fresh semester start!

source: http://i346.photobucket.com/albums/p420/akina110495/studystudy.png

Soooooooo vacation's over....sadly, right? - But as we know, all good things come to an end eventually 

T_T

Still, let's see things from the positive side, shall we?

In a short interview me and Hel are going to show you guys how we manage to start off a new school term/semester!

~ Mary ~

1) "Name 5 things on your "to-do-before-uni-starts" checklist!"

To not miss out on anything , thus to start a new semester fully prepared, a helpful thing to do is to make yourselves a checklist. List the things you should take care of before a new term starts and work your way through the list one by one. Keeping things organized and neat is also one of the keys to success! We're going to show you what our checklist looks like:

MARY: 

-  Buy new notebooks, memo pads, pens & all the other utensils you need for your studies.

- Set up your schedule. It always gives you a nice overview as to what subjects you can look forward to this term.

- Do some revision on the stuff you did last term. That can help to catch up with the new subjects way faster.

- Move back to dorm. I think it's better to not stay at home until the very last day of vacation. Instead preparations can be easier accomplished after leaving the comfort of home. That way you can adapt to student life again before the new term starts. 

- Contact your mates/friends. Catch up with them before uni starts. That way you can also help each other with the preparations. Sometimes you happen to miss out on something important that your friend might have remembered though.

HEL:

- Checking out the module list and inform myself about the courses that my university offers in the new semester
- Registering for courses and waiting to be admitted
- Creating my timetable
- Printing important documents which I will need during lecture
- Organizing my folders 

2) "Name the top 3 items on your shopping list for the upcoming semester"

MARY:

- writing utensils like pens, folders, memo pads...

- food to fill up my fridge, no one can study on an empty stomach!

- beauty products like lotions, lip balm, shower gel...

HEL:
- A giant handbag which is big enough for me to carry my notebook, books and other utensils 
- One pair of high heels for winter, since I am not so tall like the other students in my year
- A stylish coat with fur on the inside to keep my body warm 

3) "When do you normally start your preparations?"

I know many of us are super lazy. Which is why we tend to postbone all our thoughts of uni start/school start until the very last moment of vacation. But that's not necessarily a good thing '^-^.

Preparations should be done in time so to prevent stress right at the beginning of uni start/school start.

MARY:

I usually slooooowly start about 1 week before the new semester starts. By slowly I mean slowly preparing my mind for the upcoming things I got to do :P

My actual preparations (namely working down the checklist) don't start earlier than 3 days before uni start. 

HEL:
In general I used to start preparing one week before university officially begins. During this week I have to sort all the documents out and read through all the scripts of my modules to get an overview of the topics. They are also the basics in order to visit lectures in the new semester. 
Besides I go grocery shopping to get some food and drinks. Normally my purchases lasts for about two to three weeks. 

4) "What would you wear on your first day?"

First impression counts, right? So now we're getting to the topic of the "Back To Uni/School" fashion. It's always good to start off fresh with a polished and neat look. The following tips of course only apply to those of you who don't have school/uni uniforms to wear. 

MARY:

HEL:

5) "Is there anything you look forward to in this semester beginning?"

It's no use to keep on sulking about vacation's end. Instead you should try to see things from the bright side of life! ;) Having something to look forward to will instantly increase your motivation to start of this new term!

MARY:

This is my 3rd term. By now, I think I have fully adapted to life as a student and I admit I do enjoy it very much. Since I'm studying in the International Business sector, I always get to know new students from all over the world. So one of the things I keep looking forward to is to meet new international friends! 

Concerning my studies, I do look forward to the new subjects - that is especially for this term. During my first two terms, things were still a little bit odd. By odd I mean not like I expected them to be. When you study economics you might be familiar with the fact that you won't be able to get to the topics that really interest you unless you've gone through all the general compulsary subjects. Now as for this term, I finally got to the point where things get interesting for me. So my new lectures are definitely something I'm really excited about in this term!

And last but not least I am so looking forward to finally (after more than 1 year) teach hip hop dance classes again! Earning some money while doing what I love the most and keeping myself fit at the same time. That's just suuuuuuper gorgeous!

HEL:

Well, in my new semester at university I want to meet new people and have lots of fun with all my loved ones. Since this year is going to be a little bit stressful for me I have decided to visit a fitness centre with my friends in order to relax and keep my body healthy. Also I am looking forward to meet my buddy who is an exchange student from Japan.

6) "Give out some motivational words to those who can't find anything good in semester/school year beginnings!"

MARY:

Well, come on be honest! There is always a good and a bad side to things. As for the bad side, it's obviously things like "vacation is the best thing ever, which is why they shouldn't ever be coming to an end!" or "studying is nerve-recking and exhausting!" and the list of downsides goes on and on...I know.

BUT! Vacations can get to the point where things get boring, too! Once school/uni starts you get back together with all your friends/fellow students. And I mean, studying is not all about sticking your nose into books! It's also about having fun with interesting people! 

Studying can be exhausting, I won't deny that. No one really likes exams etc. However, you need to always keep in mind that you're doing all this for your future. And obviously in this world "nothing comes from nothing". In other words: Without some hard work, success will be unreachable!

HEL:
For many of you it may be the first time being away from home and the family. But going off to university is a big step. But it´s not all about studying. Moreover you will learn to be more independent and to be responsible for yourself. In the beginning it may be difficult for you to manage university life but keep going. I think everyone feels the same so don´t be afraid of this great change in your life. Try to enjoy being a student and gather new experiences. With time you will also get to know a lot of new people!



With all that said, we wish you a good start into your new semester/school year!