Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The #1 thing you should be doing between spring & summer semester

From the Ask Isa inbox:

Dear Isa, 

What are some tips or advice for success in taking a course over the summer?

Sincerely,

Summer is Coming*

*This person didn't make up an 'advice' alias, but I love them so much so I made one up for them. If you know which TV show I'm parodying with this name, consider us best friends. ;)

Dear Summer is Coming,

The exact answer to your question depends on how your summer classes are structured. If the class is spread out over the entire summer semester, you would want to invest the same amount of time and commitment you would any other semester. 

It can, however, be hard to keep up the stamina year round; but consider it good practice: most jobs don't break for the summer. 

One of my favorite books about getting good grades in college by working smarter is How to Become a Straight-A Student by Cal Newport. 

Spring semester just ended for most colleges, so my best advice would be to take a really good break in between spring and summer semester (even if it's only a week or so). 

As much as possible, limit how much you work and, aside from getting your books, don't think about school at all. 

Hang out with your friends, go on a mini vacation, do something fun....RELAX. 

Exam week can be stressful and you don't want to jump right back into school. You need to be fresh and ready once you hit the first week of summer classes, so make sure you do everything you can to make relaxing a priority before summer semester starts. 

Also, I know some summer classes can be accelerated and put into A and B terms. I've never taken an accelerated class, but my advice would be to find someone who has taken one and gotten an A and ask their advice on how they did it and how much time they dedicated to the class and homework each day. It will probably be more than you think.

And as always, my best advice for doing well in your classes is to get to know your professors the very first week (a third of my book is dedicated to how to do this). Ask their advice about doing well in their class. Visit often. And sit in the front row.

Best of luck this summer. I hope you have a great one!!

Sincerely,

Isa

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