It's mid-October and that means that for a lot of you, you're probably taking or facing midterm time. That also means that a lot of you may be feeling run down from studying and maybe even overwhelmed. College just isn't high school- classes and professors are different and daily schedules look wildly different than the structured day of high school. Maybe how you have to study has changed entirely- needing to dedicate more time than you once did or learn how to utilize resources that you never even knew existed before JMU. Perhaps you used to always study at home in your room, but now studying in the residence hall seems challenging and full of distractions (Netflix, roommates, etc.). So I challenge you to ask yourself:

How am I doing? Am I taking care of myself and doing what I need to do for me on a daily basis so that I am successful in classes but also have a balance and healthy lifestyle?

As you think about these things, take note of what your day-to-day looks like and don't forget about some of the following things:

1) Eating throughout the day will keep you mentally focused in class. If you have a tight schedule, plan ahead so that you're not starving in the middle of the day and unable to concentrate on class material.

2) Take time to study...I mean really study. It's a good rule of thumb for college students to dedicate 2 hours of out-of-class studying per credit hour. So if you're in 15 credits worth of classes this semester (5, 3-credit classes), you are looking at 30 out-of-class hours studying. There are so many resources on-campus for you to utilize that will make these 30 hours incredibly productive. In the Student Success Center it's a one stop shop for the following Learning Centers:

Study Spaces in Carrier 

3) Learn about yourself, know your study style, embrace it. If you study alone, but need no distractions, there are some great spots on campus. Carrier Library, as well as Rose Library, have some quiet spaces as you move up the floors. The 4th floor of Rose is particularly beautiful. Before you get into the stacks for the books, the elevator lets you out into a pretty expansive space with a variety of options- tabletops if you need them, comfy chairs if you're looking to do some reading...check it out! If you need group study spaces, you can always request study rooms at either library, and there are also 2 study rooms on the 1st floor of the SSC, with flat panel displays for pulling up a PowerPoint or other media, whiteboard walls, and blinds to pull down over the windows that enclose the space. There are some guidelines for booking the rooms and you can find those here.

Rose Library (East Campus)

4) Manage your time. With such a variety of opportunities for you to get involved with on-campus, it can be easy to race around from event to event or club to club and be so exhausted that it's hard to find the time or energy to study after. By mapping out your day in a planner or on a schedule template where you can see each hour before you, you can discover the empty blocks of time you have that you maybe didn't realize before. Make sure to put mealtimes in there, class times, gym time, and any other commitments you may have. Then you'll be able to clearly see the free blocks of time! Learning Strategies Instruction, also located on the 1st floor of the SSC in the Office of Disability Services, is a free service for students that provides individualized academic coaching, and also may be interested in learning some time management skills/ They can work with you to create a planner/schedule that accommodates your syllabi, buy also including dates for papers, exams, projects, etc.

5) Create a healthy balance for yourself. Let's face it, there are some really cool things happening on campus! Take some time to explore Community-Service Learning, discover all that Student Activities & Involvement has to offer (like Madison Meditates, Open Mic Night, and Tea Time) or take your adventure off-campus and participate in a local 5K. Plus, there's always the upcoming events section...

Upcoming Events

• Fall Service Fair: CS-L's fall service fair is an opportunity for you to learn about different local and national service opportunities with organizations like City Year, Teach for America, and Boys & Girls Club. Come check it out tomorrow, Wednesday October 14 from 10AM-2PM in SSC Room 1075!
• GetDown at SunDown: Held every Friday at 5:30 PM on the Festival Lawn, this weekly event put on by MAD4U programming hosts music, games, treats, and performance.
• Alternative Spring Break Information Sessions are being held next week for those interested in spending their spring break in service to those around us. The session for flying trips is Wednesday, October 21 from 7-9 PM in the Festival Highlands room. The session for driving trips is on Wednesday October 27 from 7:00-8:30PM in the Festival Ballroom.

Finally, some words of optimism as you continue on in the semester and face the midterm crunch...

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started."

~Mark Twain~