Love, Lucy: Becoming an academic weapon

Love, Lucy is the New School Free Press’ weekly advice column, where writers anonymously share thoughtfully researched solutions to your questions about life. Send submissions through Love, Lucy’s official Google Form, and you might hear back from Lucy herself.

Dear Lucy,

I need the top advice on habits to start so I can become an ACADEMIC WEAPON this semester.

From,

Academic Weapon To-Be

Dear Academic Weapon To-Be,

Ah yes, the seemingly impossible balance between excelling in classes and prioritizing yourself can be a challenge. However, one thing I like to point out is that the word impossible is composed of the phrase, “I’m possible.” So not to worry, Academic Weapon To-Be, I’m here to provide you with my personal tips and tricks for striving for academic success.

I do want to preface this by sharing that it’s important to prioritize your health and well-being first. It’s easy to fall on either side of the spectrum of overworking yourself or indulging in procrastination (who doesn’t?), so it’s essential to find a balance that works best for you.

Following 2020, the infamous year of the COVID-19 pandemic, many trends revolving around self-improvement took social media by storm. We saw the rise of tips for becoming “THAT girl,” and watched as influencers posted their lengthy (and seemingly unachievable) agendas for the day.

According to a study conducted by registered clinical psychologist and York University Associate Psychology Professor Jennifer Mills, wellness trends may mean well, but that doesn’t mean they’re actually beneficial.

“We see from our research studies that [fitness or wellness content] doesn’t actually motivate or encourage positive behavior as much as it does trigger feelings of inadequacy,” Mills told CBC News.

All of this to say that you should take my advice with a grain of salt. We all have different learning habits, lifestyles, and self-care regimens, so take what you need and leave what you don’t behind.

1.) (Actually) go to class

This one may seem like a no-brainer, but if it’s so ingrained in our heads, why aren’t we doing it? That extra sleep in the morning may be tempting, but it may not be worth all the catching up you’ll have to do. It can be a hassle to rely on peers for information about what you missed and assignments might not be as clear without the professor’s verbal instructions.

On that note, professors value timely students. Lang in particular is known for its strict attendance policy, requiring students to check-in with their advisor following two absences. However, life happens. If your physical or mental health is at risk, then please do what feels best for you. Just remember to communicate this to your professors so you can be caught up where you can.

2.) Keep a planner or calendar

It’s always good to have some sort of system in place that helps you stay organized. Whether it’s a Google Calendar or a Post-it with scribbled notes to yourself, it’s important to have a way to stay on top of deadlines. Personally, I love using a physical planner. There’s something about handwriting task lists that makes completing things all the more satisfying.

A study done by University of Kentucky Associate Professor Sung Hee Kim revealed there are great psychological benefits of using a planner. One participant in the study expressed that “Taking the time to write down important dates and reminders shows that I take them seriously. The little effort that this small task takes proves to have a great positive impact on my life.”

3.) Prioritize earlier deadlines

Now that you have a system in place, this tip speaks for itself. It’s a common practice to finish the bigger projects first, but if a smaller assignment is due before the big one, it’s best to complete that first.

As broken down by the University of Pittsburgh, the Pomodoro technique is a popular and effective method for completing work. The technique is as follows:

4.) Get out of your room!

Sometimes, a change in setting is all you need to maximize your productivity. However, the environment of the setting you choose is important too. If you don’t mind a little hustle and bustle background noise, cafes are a great place to get some work done. If a quieter atmosphere is your preference, then libraries are likely the better avenue for you. If this sounds like something up your alley, our Writes and Bites series has a wide variety of cafe, bookstore, and library recommendations to explore!

The New School campus has a lot of great study areas too. The Lang Cafe and the University Center cafeteria are great if you don’t mind a loud environment and the quieter library floors of the University Center give you a lovely view of the city skyline.

5.) Make it fun

As someone who likes to romanticize their life, finding a way to make work enjoyable is a priority. Listening to music and finding the right work environment is good in the long run, but what about the assignments themselves?

Last semester, I took a University Lecture (ULEC) and our final assignment tasked us with writing a paper that analyzed a “cultural product.” Since the overarching guideline of the assignment was to focus on a creative work or concept, we were basically free to write about what we wanted in a way that was still relevant to what we learned in class.

Not all assignments are this open-ended, but if they are, writing about something you’re passionate about helps. Is there a particular movie that struck you recently? A song you can’t get out of your head? Anything you’re obsessed with at this very moment?

The journey toward academic success is as much about self-discovery as it is about mastering the material. The advice shared here is by no means a “one-size-fits-all” solution but rather a toolkit from which you can select and adapt what works best for you. I wish you good luck on this educational battlefield, Academic Weapon To-Be.

Love,

Lucy