It’s been a few weeks since the GPS class of 2017 commencement ceremony. Congratulations once again to those who received their degree!
Brandeis GPS Blog
Insights on online learning, tips for finding balance, and news and updates from Brandeis GPS
Tag: fall term
As the weather cools down and the days get shorter, there’s no denying it, fall term is right around the corner. Are you ready to put away your beach chair and get your nose back into your textbooks? Here are a few tips to start a smooth transition back into classes and to make this your most successful term yet!
- Get organized ear
ly
Staying organized is an important component of success in academics. Start by reviewing your course syllabi early. Instead of waiting until the first week of classes to familiarize yourself with your schedule, get a jump on things by reading through course syllabi before classes begin. Enter dates of exams and assignments for all your classes into a calendar so you can visually see which weeks will have heavier workloads. This will come in handy when you need to figure out planning your studies in advance and will keep you overall more organized.
- Master time management skills
Time management can
make or break your academic journey. Learning to master this valuable skill is essential. Begin by making to do lists each day and setting realistic goals of what should get accomplished. Plan your studies in advance and do not wait until the last minute to cram for studying for an exam or completing a project. Chipping away at studies day by day when planned in advance will be much more beneficial than overloading your brain the night before a due date. Breaks and leisure time should also be included in your schedule! When studying for long hours be sure to give yourself a short break or reward for completing a goal in order to prevent burnout.
3. Ditch Distractions
With all the technology that surrounds us, there are plenty of opportunities for distraction and procrastination. Make sure to get out of the habit of utilizing these distractions during study time. Turn 
off your phone and put it away and delete social media from your taskbar. Without the constant interruption of a buzz from a text or a notification from Facebook, completing tasks and staying focused will become much easier and you will find yourself being much more efficient. Sometimes this can be easier said than done so if you’re still itching to check your phone, use that as a reward for completing a task or schedule it into your allotted break time.
Overall, it is important to try to stay ahead rather than fall behind. Hopefully these tips can be helpful for the upcoming semester! Enjoy your studies! And of course, do not forget to register for your Brandeis GPS course, registration is open now!
By: Cara Chatellier
The ninth week of a ten week course can be a very telling time. There is a strong urge to coast through. You have to fight every fiber in your body to skip your discussion posts and put your feet up.
Being in my third course, I have learned a few tips to power through final posts, papers, and tests to complete courses and pass with flying colors.
Here are my top 5 tips on how to excel during the final days of your course with Brandeis Graudate Professional Studies!
Tip 1: Map out your time
During the final weeks of your course, it can be easy to put off work until the last minute. Make sure you are mapping out chunks of time where you can sit down and focus.
Find a quiet place away from children, spouses, friends and other distractions. Many times I will stay late in my office to finish my course work. Nothing keeps you motivated like being a lonely office building– you can’t wait to finish and get home!
Tip 2: Don’t ignore discussion posts
Discussion posts account for at least 30% of your grade in every course. Even if your research paper and final project and looming, you never want to ignore your discussions. These posts allow you to apply your knowledge from that week, ignoring them is only a disservice to you!
Tip 3: Find a Study Buddy
Finding someone you can do school work with makes buckling down and getting things done a bit easier. Whether you are hunkered down at your local coffee shop or sitting at your kitchen table, having a pal to commiserate with makes the task a bit easier.
Having trouble finding an in-person study buddy? Try OnlineCollege.org, a website that shows you how to create a virtual study group!
Tip 4: Reward yourself
Once you have finished your paper, or your discussions for the week, give yourself a little treat. Nothing motivates me more than knowing chocolate and peanut butter are waiting
for me after I hit submit on my second reply of the week.
Tip 5: Make sure you’re sleeping enough
The UCLA newsroom explains, if a “student sacrifices sleep time in order to study more than usual, he or she is likely to have more academic problems, not less, on the following day.”
It’s important to study, but cramming is not the answer! Space out your time and get your ZZZZZZ’s.
I hope you found these tips helpful! Best of luck in your final days and make sure you celebrate once all your assignments are submitted, you earned it!
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