How I Stay Sane During the Second Week of Classes
By: Joy Ofodu ‘18
The first week back at school is like a highlight reel - you become re-acquainted with your dorm and friends, unpack your holiday gifts, and glide from lecture to work to the gym’s free fitness classes as if in a dream.
By the second week, you’ll have received some kind of rude awakening - you return from a workout and your roommate didn’t refill the Brita. Your fellow E-Board members start sending demanding texts about funding deadlines. Somehow, there are 14 assignments, readings and peer reviews due. Also, you’ve fallen sick, and your family is complaining that you haven’t checked in. Fight On!
Need help staying afloat? Here’s how I’ve tackled this second-week panic for the past 7 semesters:
Take Control of Your Inbox
Your email inbox should be working for you, not against you. I start my semester by unsubscribing from unwanted newsletters that I’ve let bother me since last year. I ask myself, “Have I ever acted on one of these emails, or do I dread having to delete them every week?” These could be anything from clubs I never joined to store promotions I unwittingly subscribed to. This process is time-consuming but is the safest way to clear your inbox and Future You will thank Productive You.
I leave every email to my @usc.edu inbox Starred if it needs action or attention. Any other Read or Dead emails get shot to one of several organized folders for later reference:
I try to keep my Inbox (##) to under 20 at any given time.
Schedule Everything
Use the myUSC “Export Calendar” function under Courses to quickly export your entire weekly class schedule to Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, etc. Set 15 minute advanced reminders so that you’re never late to your new classes!
I proceed to go through each syllabus and schedule all midterms, finals, Spring Break, dead week and graduation dates. It’s my last semester - can’t afford any surprises.
Create a Digital To-Do List
I swear by Reminders for iCloud, which has allowed me to sort my courses, activities and projects, as well as prioritize each task. When you have 40 things to do at any given time, it helps to manage them all in one place. Anything I need to buy, design, send, ask, or write is sorted here.
If you’re also digitally-inclined, feel free to use any free reminders app available to you. Otherwise, you may want to look into keeping a physical journal or agenda for your tasks, like we did back in elementary/middle school! I’m starting to think our teachers were onto something…
Order Books (Wisely)
Hit the bookstore before it gets crazy - mornings and late afternoons are pretty light as far as foot traffic goes - you can also check this on Google before leaving the house. Or even better, rent online & split the price with a peer in class. I use Slugbooks to compare prices.
Whether you buy, rent or obtain an online PDF through nefarious means, do it sooner rather than later. You’ll feel more on top of class (and perhaps even motivated to read) when the books are accessible to you.
Eat & Sleep Well
Sounds like a given but is often sacrificed: eating a balanced diet and sleeping at night will give your immune system the armor it needs to battle Troy’s rampant flus. I need to take my own advice here; I’ve started by meal prepping once a week and shopping at the Village Target, Trader Joe’s and Vermont Ralph’s. All three grocery stores are very student-friendly and better spots to go than CFA or Spudnuts if you’re trying to avoid fried food *single tear*
Find Something to Look Forward To
Don’t let class be the end of your week. Find something fun to do in LA or in your dorm - it could be a ResEd activity, viewing party, Women of Troy game, party or Improv Show. I typically schedule time to kick with friends or RSVP for screenings to help the week go by. If I have extra time, I start scouting out Spring/Summer vacation moves. It’s never too early to plot.
Find Alone Time
As an extrovert, I struggle with this. However, we could all use a few hours of alone time at least 2 days a week to re-assess, do work, meditate, heal, create, code or just nap. As the semester begins, don’t lose sight of the time you owe to yourself.
Finally, at the end of the day: Remind yourself that you belong here.
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