Students Prepare for a Productive Spring Semester and Recall Lessons Learned

As the 2012 spring semester begins, Howard University students begin the semester afresh with a clean academic slate and, especially for seniors, the chance to end the year with a fantastic finish.

Freshmen are beginning to find their niche socially and academically on campus; sophomores are expecting to maintain their academic standards and strategies as they matriculate; juniors are arranging for their final and most critical year and graduating seniors are focusing on final requirements and the freedom and professionalism of life beyond college.

Many transitions are made from the fall semester to the spring semester, which include lifestyle changes that students make to prepare themselves for success. Distractions and other elements of college life are removed to focus on more important priorities.

The spring semester is also the time when students, who did not perform well during the fall semester, have a second chance of redemption.

Setting an academic strategy early in the semester allowed sophomore clinical laboratory sciences major, Dyamond Govan, to greatly improve from her freshman year.

"I now know what works and what does not work, in terms of having a successful semester along with a good reflecting grade point average," Govan said. "This semester I am taking fewer credits and also plan on studying even harder when it comes to my science courses: reading each chapter thoroughly, and doing practice problems."

Freshman broadcast journalism major Alexis Holliday excelled in her classroom workload, but not without sacrifices in other areas. Although she made a 3.7 GPA last semester, she fell into the same habit as many other freshmen do.

"I barely slept last semester. The hardest transition for me was finding the incentive to actually get up and go class. I had a lot of late nights exploring D.C. and usually would be too tired to go to class," Holliday said.

Holliday plans to change this routine for the spring semester by becoming more organized.

"I definitely plan on being more organized and syncing my calendar with my iPhone. When I'm organized I usually am able to schedule time to hang out with my friends, still get all my work and studying done, and get some sleep," Holliday said.

While Govan and Holliday have time to adjust their personal needs, senior psychology major Taylor Moore is arranging for her departure from Howard University. Moore stated that she, like Holliday, struggled with finding an organized balance between academics and a social life during her freshman year, but came back stronger and well prepared each year after, like Govan.

"There were a lot of times that I did not go to class my freshman year, but I soon realized the implications and how my first year was to be a foundation to my four years," Moore said. "I decided to get it together and did very well in the remaining time I had. Organization and time management are key. Without them, you'll find the path to grad