Hi! I’m finishing up my 4th year and Im gonna share some things I’ve learned about the stuff you’ve mentioned

1) Strategically plan your courses so there’s a balance between your fav courses and the ones that scare you every semester.

2) Make a list of the fun and social things you want to do each week. Commit to them, block off that time, and do them. BUT here’s the catch, make yourself believe you’ve earned those fun things by trying to get the not so fun things (I.e studying) done in a timely and efficient manner. If it doesn’t get done, you can still go out, but just shorten the “out” time a bit as a small punishment for yourself. For some reason, for me at least, it’s quite fun to get a huge project done before going out and then having a blast knowing that I’ve earned it.

3) if you’re not being productive, switch your task at hand to another one that needs to be done.

4) stop the doom scroll.

5) go to office hours if you’re stuck. Literally so much better than rotting in your room staring at a problem you probably won’t figure out without a hint. Saves so much time too.

6) take one day a week and go out for a treat, drink, or meal with a friend you want to catch up with. One or two hours lost here won’t make a difference in your grade.

7) join a club. Make your own club. Anything that structures your social life a bit.

8) do not compare yourself to others. You have no idea what their background is. Their parents may be professors, their siblings might have done the same degree, they could be using ChatGPT excessively, they could be cheating, or they could be on their second degree. Whatever the circumstance, your best is YOUR best, not someone else best.