Tips to stay afloat after the break

Whether you went home or stayed on campus, the time to yourself during Thanksgiving break is well deserved. However, as the break comes and goes, it is easy to feel as though all of the information you have retained over the course of the semester is fading away. Here are some tips and tricks to help you make sure that all of your hard work does not go to waste.

Practice
Creating a short 20- to 30-minute session to do practice problems throughout the break and after coming back can also be extremely helpful. This tip may be the most difficult to bring yourself to do but it ensures that you stay on top of your work and can even begin to prepare you for the upcoming material that you will face as the end of the semester approaches. 

Review old material
While it may seem like the last thing you want to do, reviewing course work can be very rewarding. Consider taking the time to simply look over relevant coursework on Canvas or recent graded assignments that can ensure that no material looks completely foreign to you when you return. 

Watch Videos
Looking at course material and practicing is admittedly much easier said than done. During your down time, you probably will find yourself spending a lot of your downtime watching pointless videos. One easy way to keep yourself from falling behind is by watching videos related to your classes. If you are spending hours of your day on Youtube anyway, might as well make some of that time benefit you! If you are feeling especially brave you can even watch past recorded lecture videos if they are available. 

Organize a study group!
If you find it very difficult to motivate yourself to stay on top of your studies, perhaps you could benefit from a study group. Being a part of a study group really forces you to be accountable as you do not want to let any other members down. See if any peers would be interested in meeting throughout the break to work together on either classwork or practice problems. 

Most importantly, do not spend too much time worrying too hard. Following just one of these tips will make you feel a lot more secure in what you know. Staying on top of your work is important, but make sure to still make time for yourself!

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