6 Tips to Have a Smooth Semester

College is such a stressful and fun time! It is a time when you develop your habits, meet lifelong friends, juggle school and a job, and start adulting – a.k.a bills.

It’s so easy to get focused on one thing and slack on all the others. I am always guilty of hanging out with friends or watching too much TV and skipping out on my health. Because of this, I have to try to create an habit of putting more time into my skincare, finding more time for fitness and drinking more water.

So, I am sure I am not the only one struggling with this balancing act of sleep, study, work and fun!

Here are 6 tips to have a smooth semester:

Invest in a Planner

No matter what stage of life you are in, you need a good planner. I always look for planners with space for notes and detailed weekly spaces. Here is where I keep my class assignments, work schedule, volunteer activities and social events. Plus, you have to remember when to go to the doctor (or in my case, take my pets to the vet).

When I look for a planner, I look for one that will fit in my handbag as well. I need to make sure it is portable so I can have it all times.

If you like a digital version, more power to you! I love being able to write my plans the old school way.

Get a Food Plan

You will be spending hours in class and at the library, so spending money on eating out can easily add up. I suggest looking into getting a meal plan! Most universities have flexible commuter plans for every type of person. This prevents you from having to waste more money and time finding something to eat in between studying.

If you cant find a plan that suits you, consider meal prepping. It will take a lot more time out of your weekend, but it will save you so much time during your week.

Get an Amazon Prime Student Account

Amazon does this amazing deal if you are a student. You get  to have Amazon Prime at only $49 annually – that about $4 a month! Plus, you get the first 6 months for free, thanks to a partnership with Sprint (so you can just try it and decided if it’s right for you)! You can cancel at anytime.

With Amazon Prime, you get to have online storage, free two-day shipping, Prime Video, Audible, Prime Reading, Twitch Prime, Prime Music and ease of mind!

Amazon Music is free to use with no ads!

Textbooks can be so expensive and half of the time you don’t even use them! I can never find anything cheaper than Amazon Prime (and if I do, the shipping is outrageous and long). I never order textbooks until I need them because with Amazon Prime, I can trust Two-Day shipping to get it to me on time!

Plus, if you don’t need to rush an item, you can get free no-rush shipping credits.

This way, I never waste money on textbooks I don’t use – and at the end of the semester, I mail them back and recycle my Amazon gift card for new books.

Or if you like to rent textbooks, they have those options as well. With Amazon’s flexible rental program, students can decide how long to keep the material. And, when it comes time to send items back, Amazon will pay for return shipping.

As for all the bonus stuff, I love Amazon Video (this weekend I binged three entire seasons of Orphan Black). There are so many choices for TV and Movies, and it is constantly changing.

Plus, if you are nerdy like me, you can use Audible to listen to great TedTalks when you are walking to class or are on the bus!

This is probably the most fulfilling in my tips to have a smooth semester.

Get a Good Backpack

My first mistake as a college student was worrying more about fashion than comfort when it came to how I carried my books.

I quickly gained back and shoulder problems, prompting an immediate Amazon order of a backpack with comfortable straps and a laptop sleeve! This will save you so much pain (literally)!

Take Readable Notes

It is always a good idea to take time when you write your notes! You want to be able to READ and UNDERSTAND them later!

If you type them out, make sure they are neatly organized and easy to find. I am more of a handwritten note taker, so I always had a 5 subject notebook. In my notebook, I separated it by classes and gave sub-headlines to every new thought of information.

Use the Recreation Center

If you don’t stay active, it will be hard to maintain a high energy level. I am always tired, and this is what I am the worst at!

However, when I get in a routine, I always notice my energy level and happiness level up! Try to spend 30 minutes focusing on your body everyday!

What are your tips for having a smooth and fun semester?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.