Okay, I know you’re SO EXCITED that it’s almost Fall Break so we have a long weekend coming up, and I know you reeeeeeally don’t want to do anything but relax and have a good time, but… you should really do some homework over break.
I know, I know, it’s called a “break,” it’s supposed to be time off!
Trust me on this one. Finals are basically around the corner, and if you have final papers/projects/presentations in any of your classes (your SSI, perhaps?), I promise those deadlines will come sooner than you think.
If you’re a die-hard procrastinator and can’t get anything done without a stressful deadline looming (like yours truly), set deadlines for yourself! Make an appointment with me or with one of our liaison librarians for research guidance to make sure you have excellent sources before you begin writing (or once you’ve started and you realize you need more). Then make an appointment (or a few) at the Center for Writing, Learning, and Teaching to have someone look over your rough draft and final version of your paper. That way, you’re still accountable for that work being done by a certain day. (Don’t skip your appointments!)
If you really think you have a handle on your final projects, then do some studying. Make sure you really understand the material in your classes that you’ve learned so far by:
- Actually doing the textbook reading you were assigned.
- Making a “cheat sheet” of all the important points on every topic you’ve studied so far in each class.
- Re-reading articles you discussed in class to remind yourself what they said – and what your classmates and professor said about each one.
- Reading through your notes and making a list of the topics you don’t totally understand (maybe you just got back a midterm test you didn’t do so great on), and make an appointment with your professor to come ask them questions next week when classes resume.
I know you don’t want to, but doing a little homework here or there – sitting on an airplane/bus/train, doing flashcards with your friend in the car on your roadtrip – will really decrease your stress level when we get back. I promise!
Open Access Week, a global event now entering its eighth year, is an opportunity for the academic and research community to continue to learn about the potential benefits of Open Access, to share what they’ve learned with colleagues, and to help inspire wider participation in helping to make Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research.
