4 Ways to be Productive This Semester

4 Ways to be Productive This Semester
By: Ruth-Ann Briscoe


Starting a school year forces us to readjust to coursework and our personal life. Let's think about ways we can stay on top of our academics, and still have time for friends, the hustle and ourselves.

1. Setting a Schedule
Be aware of the areas of your life that requires much attention. If you're a student leader, business owner, freelancer, or a trying yute, you can have even more productive days with a plan. Benjamin Franklin once said, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail". So make a plan! Create an ideal schedule for you and your responsibilities. If alarms work for you, get on it! Productivity for some occur using platforms or time blocking, so find what that is for you and apply it. The good old notebook/planners may be your backbone.

2. Dress for the occasion
Something I am trying this year is dressing the way I want to feel. I want to feel present in my classes and so that means we're going to be dressing up for classes, meetings and events. You with me? So wake up a little earlier this semester, this means resting a bit earlier than normal. Attend your classes in places that help the productive version of you.

3. "I'm not gone shed a tear"
I know we all sang this line when it appeared on our ‘for you page’(FYP), but this semester, release that scream with your friends. Schedule your crying. It saves the crazy emotions during finals, mid semesters and assignments. You know we can't be like this around everybody but keep it gangster until you around "your people". Something in my first year that a friend told me was not to allow UWI to bring me to the point of tears. The scoreboard says I beat UWI two-nil!

4. Treat your body like royalty
Your body isn't a trash can, so you can at least try to eat a little better than usual. It's okay to have treat-me-sweet days (no bun zone, omit cheat day). For some people, sleep affi keep and regardless of what happens in their life. Find those things for you and remind yourself to eat, sleep, smile, breathe and be present. Last semester I sent a friend to do lists each day as a reminder to be present to put themselves first. Remember to give grace to yourself, especially in this pandemic.