2 February 2009
5 Things To Do Before Uni Starts
In case you missed all the ‘back to school’ sales, uni is just a few weeks away. While it’s important to cling to what’s left of the holidays it is also a good idea to take some time now to prepare for semester.
So here is a list of five things you can do to make the academic year a bit easier.
1. Clean
Something I try to do at the beginning and at the end of each semester is to clean. I find that as the semester goes on, little cleaning jobs get put on the backburner. Dust builds up. Clothes accumulate on chairs. Notes lay everywhere and need to be filed. Sure, we should always try to be tidier but when you’re balancing studying / research / exam prep / clerk applications / part time work and ’social commitments’ there’s a priority list and cleaning isn’t at the top.
So at the beginning of each semester it is always a good idea to take a weekend and clean like a criminal lawyer scrubbing away at the plaque on their soul.
It’s not just the typical cleaning jobs either. Take the time to go through your stack of correspondence and file it away. Sort your bills out now so come tax time you’re already done. Pay the speeding fines hidden under your junk mail. File last year’s notes and assignments.
Clean up and get ready to go around again.
2. Apply
Get an early jump on your competition and start thinking about the firms that you’re going to be applying for. Get an idea of the number of applications you will be doing. Where are you going – Biglaw / boutique / government / something else entirely?
Once you’ve got a rough outline of where you will be applying, start to do some research on these firms. Start to get an idea of what your application is going to look like. Is your resume up to date? If it isn’t – get on it. This is the perfect time for you to do all of this boring (but important) stuff.
Finally, if you’ve got the time, start writing applications. Very enthusiastic and hardworking, blah blah blah – please take me on I’m not a moron and I’ll work very hard.
You’re not actually going to finish any of these applications you just want to get a feel for how they flow. Get a feel for the kind of different angles you might take for each firm. It will help you when you write your real applications.
3. Plan
Goal setting. It is kind of lame, but it will help – so do it (just don’t tell your friends about it).
Think about where you are headed this year and what kind of things you want to achieve. It could be to do with your grades (ie. dont fall below x%) or could be about the hours you put into uni work (ie. study x non-contact hours).
Also, it may help to note down any things that you are particularly concerned or worried about going into the semester. If you know that you need to do more exam prep this semester, note it down. Consider how you’re going to make that happen. If you’re particularly scared about one or two of your units note down what it is about those units that you’re worried about.
Finally, dont forget to put in some social goals. Something that I have regretted this time around is that, unlike my first degree, I concentrated too much on academic stuff and didn’t make enough friends. Now a big part of my goal setting this year is simply ‘be cool. make more friends.’
4. Fun
Following on from those social goals make sure you take the the time now, before uni has gone back, to get out there and have some fun. Go to a music festival or do whatever it is kids these days do. Make sure you take every opportunity to socialise and enjoy what’s left of your time off.
I realise this is a fairly straightforward ‘duh’ point – but it really is important. Dont get carried away with vacation clerkships, summer school and research. Most of that stuff doesn’t really matter. Be cool. Make more friends (or keep the ones you’ve got!)
5. Sweat
Lastly, take this time to exercise. If you’re already a bit of an exercise junky, maybe try a new activity or see if you can bring someone close to you onto the sweat train.
The transition from whatever work you were doing over summer to the start of semester is often the best time for you to find your inner Richard Simmons. Buy a sweatband and wear it with pride.
When you finalise your uni timetable try to exercise at times that you will have available during semester. Remember as a uni student you’re able to use the gyms/pools/courts when they’re very quiet.
You need to be learning these routines now while you have the opportunity because later when you’re selling yourself by the hour to Biglaw, it’s going to be all too easy for you to sacrifice your health.
Your Thoughts?
So there we have it. A brief and common sense list of things you could be doing right now. I’m very interested to hear what other things people have on their todo lists – so please feel free to make your own suggestions (try it, it’s fun to tell people how to live their lives).
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- Ask Grad Girl: Networked Out
- Quo Vadis? Quo Animo?
