Getting Back to School

It's almost September, so you know what that means: back to school! Or, for some of us Northeastern students, the end of summer classes and the start of the fall semester! Nevertheless, the fall is an exciting time on campus.

This past summer II semester, I took two courses: sociology and genetics & molecular biology. The summer II semester is from the beginning of July to the end of August, so the classes are accelerated compared to those in the fall and spring. The summer semesters are a great way to complete your major requirements/credits, allowing you to tailor your other semesters to your preferences and have more control over which classes you take. For example, if I didn't take genetics & molecular biology this summer, I probably would have had to take it alongside organic chemistry in the fall. Taking two heavy natural science courses at the same time was something I wanted to avoid, and the Northeastern curriculum model really gives me greater control over when I take classes!

As I said, I'm taking organic chemistry this fall. In general, the class doesn't have a great reputation among pre-med students and has historically been a challenging class. I'm taking a few precautions to avoid feeling overwhelmed this semester by the difficult nature of the course that I thought I'd share with you all! Maybe you have already implemented some of these tips into your routine, or perhaps they'll inspire you to try them out.

1. Notion: Similar to Google Calendar, I use the software Notion to organize my calendar and keep track of assignment due dates. It can be difficult to track my commitment to my internship, research lab, and clubs on top of when coursework is due; Notion allows me to monitor all my commitments simultaneously. Notion has pre-made templates for all your needs: goals, task lists, habit trackers, etc., which is great for individuals like myself, who get overwhelmed from using various websites/apps. Overall, Notion allows you to manipulate different elements of the software to achieve maximum utilization. Once my professors for the fall semester share their syllabi, I'll tentatively put due dates for assignments in Notion, which makes my life much easier throughout the semester.

2. Meal-prepping: Meal-prepping was something I began implementing into my weekly routine during co-op. I primarily started doing it for convenience and realized its usefulness! On Sundays, I would make a meal large enough to be divided into five meals, keep them in the refrigerator, and sporadically grab them throughout the week. When I'm too lazy to cook: pre-made meal. When I'm busy and on the go: pre-made meal. I'm excited to meal-prep for the fall semester and maybe convince my friends to try it out! I'm also equally excited to eat out (even though a college student's bank account doesn't always allow for such luxury).

3. Balance: The start of the school year is an exciting time. People are moving in, friends are reuniting, and classes resume; people often get caught up in everything. I like to take the first week of school to readjust to my surroundings and familiarize myself with my schedule. Once classes start increasing in difficulty, many students drop everything socially to focus only on their school work. I have to remind myself not to do this! It's okay to enjoy fall activities and time with friends. Allowing oneself time to relax often increases productivity! As cliché as it sounds, balance is key to success.

Fellow Presidential Ambassadors/friends and myself last year during the fall activities fair, which is a great opportunity to see all the student clubs and organizations on campus!

That's all from me for now. See you at the fall activities fair!

Yours Truly,

Erin