I realized that I have a lot of presentations on my plate right now, so I’d like to give you some tips on making a great presentation—especially if yours is online or a group task.
For many of us, January is a time for goal-setting and new year’s resolutions. As a PhD student, I have a newfound autonomy over my education, which has been both a blessing and a curse.
Once I finished my last task for the week, I knew that I needed to take a break and rejuvenate myself. Therefore I took the entire first weekend of semester to enjoy some time off.
Sarah, Health/Environmental Studies, Class of 2022
I’m not a fan of inspirational quotes. In all honesty, I find them tacky. Over the first quarantine in April, after my exams, I found myself staring at the ceiling, desperate for any inspiration in the unknown that was going to be my summer.
The winter break gave me the chance to relax, enjoy time with my family, and reflect on my first remote semester. Fall 2020 was an unprecedented semester for everyone, but we all learned a great deal on how to achieve success while studying online.
I remember being told by my chemistry teacher that university requires a huge amount of self-motivation and focus. No one would be checking our attendance or homework. University would be all about self-directed learning. “Adapt or be left behind,” I remember her saying.
At the time, I had some agendas and a daily to-do list, but I never found my perfect way to organize. I think I’ve found it now. Recently I discovered Notion, an app you can customize to fit your scheduling needs.
This mindset creates a barrier to change. We shouldn’t have to wait for 2022 for our lives to magically transform. After all, with the events of 2020, who knows what obstacles we’ll face in the future?
I cannot afford to drop any balls at this crucial time. That, in itself, is complicated. The pressure I feel right now is astounding, and I’m not sure how to know when to stop studying and pushing myself.
Finals can be a time of stress and anxiety, but it definitely does not have to be this way. There are many things that we can do to make this time of the year as smooth sailing as possible.
