With winter break in the rearview mirror, a new semester is about to begin. It’s now time to coast until summer vacation, right? As nice as that sounds, getting off to a strong start at the beginning of the second semester is important. If the first semester was less than ideal, you may feel you are destined to repeat it – but you don’t have to. Here are some great tips to help turn things around this semester, especially if you find yourself still reeling from a less-than-perfect start to the school year.

1. Learn from the past, but do not dwell on it

Take this new semester as an opportunity to make changes instead of dwelling on the past. If you struggled through the first semester, this is your chance to rebound. In some instances, what we tell ourselves has a way of becoming reality. Telling yourself you can be successful by reflecting on what went well and what you struggled with during the last semester may lead you to see the much-needed changes are simple. There may only be one or two things that need to be improved upon to turn things around; but you’ll never know if you don’t reflect.

2. Seek out additional help and resources

Your academic success is important to more than just you. Instructors, counselors, academic advisors, and family members want you to be successful. You do not have to go about this alone. Knowing your resources and using them is one of the best ways to be successful. These individuals can also help you identify where you are struggling. Having others invested in you also keeps you accountable. The amount of time you spend with these individuals will vary, given your needs. If you struggle with time management or with understanding content, a good starting point for a successful second semester could be to set up a weekly meeting with a tutor, academic advisor, or instructor.

3. Make a plan

Now that you have identified areas of improvement and resources, it’s time to make a plan. Decide what will work best for your schedule. Designate a particular study time and defend it. If you over-scheduled yourself last semester, now might be the time to look at making adjustments to your work, school, and personal schedule. Remember that things such as a part-time job or intramural sport can always be added back into your schedule later in the semester.

4. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals

Goals are a crucial part of any plan for success. The act of goal setting doesn’t have to be overwhelming. An easy acronym to help set goals of importance is S.M.A.R.T: Simple, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. Write these down and review them with your support system. Keeping them somewhere visible will also help you stay motivated and focused on improvement.

5. Execute your plan

You now have your resources, plan, and goals in place. It’s now time to put in the work by prioritizing your goals and your schedule so you can put in the necessary time needed for success. There is no substitute for hard work, but here are some additional things you can implement to ensure success:

• Attend every class.
• Turn in all assignments (even if they’re incomplete).
• Find someone in each class to study with or join a study group.
• Take advantage of opportunities to re-submit work or earn extra points.

6. Celebrate the successes

Once you begin to see the rewards of your hard work, take the opportunity to celebrate. Plan to do something you enjoy, as it will give you something to look forward to when the dog days of the semester settle in. Including others in your celebration can also help. Set small rewards or celebrations along the way. This means that you do not have to wait until the end to celebrate, either! Milestones, such as acing an exam or completing that group project, are great reasons to reward good efforts.

Now is the time to start looking ahead to next semester and putting a plan together on how to make it great in place.