Alyssa Camardo, Staff Writer 

Getting back into the swing of college is not always easy for students. After having a month off to relax and enjoy their personal lives, the last thing many college students want to do is come back to school and focus on classes. This means overall, less free time and more time spent studying for exams, doing homework in the library and writing papers.

Although coming back to school for the spring semester may seem like a drag to many, if students plan ahead it makes it much easier.

“I enjoy being back at school. It’s great seeing everyone you didn’t get to see while on break,” said Angelo Romeo, a senior. “I would suggest students get a planner and write everything down. It’s a hassle to look through the syllabi to know what you have to do for homework.”

As Romeo mentioned, staying organized is an important part of coming back for a new semester. If you get into your routine from the very beginning of the semester, it makes for a lot less cramming as you progress toward midterms.

Toby Neto, a junior, had some suggestions for student’s success.

“Get adequate sleep and get all of your books ahead of time,” he said. “Good attendance and consistency in your classes is also important.”

Many college students stay up late, and inadequate sleep can take a toll on mental clarity. Try to plan ahead and get to sleep at a decent time each night in order to stay attentive, especially in morning classes. Also, don’t short yourself by not ordering books. College students often overlook the importance of having their textbooks and actually reading them. Being present in class and referring back to textbooks for homework can make or break grades in some classes.

Junior D.J. Sietz discussed how he fits his personal interests into his class schedule.

“Staying organized is very important,” he said. “Form a routine that works for you. I go to my classes, and then make sure I have time to fit in going to the gym.”

Overall, Utica College students felt that forming a routine in the beginning of the semester is an important key to doing well in their classes. If students plan out what they need to do, it leaves them the opportunity to organize, get work done in advance and still allow adequate time for outside activities.

The Frank E. Gannett Memorial Library on campus is a great place for students to get their work done outside of class. Dorms can be noisy at times, but the campus’ library provides a quiet place to help students stay on track and get homework done. The library offers a Writing Center and a Math & Science Center, both free for students. Private study rooms are also available for students to reserve if group-work needs to be done. The library hours are Sunday 11 a.m to midnight, Weekdays 8 a.m to midnight and Saturday 10 a.m until 7 p.m.

Staying focused and getting schoolwork done in a timely and efficient manner can make a student’s semester much less stressful. Organization combined with getting into a routine will definitely help college students have a smooth start to their spring semester.