You made it! Semester one finals are over and now it’s smooth sailing…at least for a little while. Coming off of the new year and the past semester, it’s time to focus on bettering ourselves. Going into the new semester, past mistakes can be left behind and forgotten. 

Boosting your productivity can help you academically and throughout your daily life. A study by Apollo Technical shows that students are only productive 60 percent of the time. Working to improve this number will not only help your present self but in the long run your future self. Falling behind can exacerbate mental health problems. Working to create healthy habits can improve these feelings and your life. 

The wolf interviewed multiple students and found that the most common habit students participate in or work towards to improve their lives is to stay on top of their work. 

“I work on being proactive with work and getting more ahead instead of cramming at the end,” junior Nathan Ruybalid shared.

Overall, students work to be proactive, stay organized and communicate well with their teachers, though eating well, drinking water, and getting enough sleep are also beneficial habits. Coming out of the first semester, students’ mental health has likely been worn out and overwhelmed. So focusing on self-care and working on staying stress-free can be helpful.

“My mental health is fine, but only because I don’t really care anymore. I’m trusting the process,” Ruybalid said.

For student-athletes and those balancing several responsibilities, staying balanced with sports and school is especially important. 

“In the next semester, I want to do my work on time, have better time management, be more organized and stop having mental blocks,” junior Mary Ebenezer said.

Other healthy habits students rely on include exercising daily, adhering to a routine, limiting their screen time, and creating a ‘study’ space at home. 

In the end, what you do to improve is up to you. You know best about what works for you to contribute to a successful, strong semester.