As finals week and this fall semester has come to a close for me I can officially say... I did it.
I took eighteen credit hours this semester. (side note: I've done this for most previous semesters, BUT, this semester was the first semester I took 18 FULL BLOWN science credits and two labs - which was 100% so totally different, haha.)

How I do it...

1. The way I survived this semester specifically was definitely through utilizing the hybrid/online options I had for my required classes! If you know you're going to take on a heavier load of classes, definitely look out for the online classes that are offered by your university! I've heard from classmates before that they hate online classes because they forget to actually watch the lectures/do the assignments but honey...................... if you're paying 300+ per credit/class, just don't forget. Like, don't throw that money away? Lol. Anyway, like I said - I needed to take ochem this semester which would have been [(50 minutes x 4 times a week) + (170 minutes)] at least at my university, a 2 hour 50 minute lab is required as well as a 50 minute recitation on top of three 50 minute lectures a week. So definitely being able to watch those three 50 minute lectures here and there throughout the week on during my down time helped me feel like I had better control of my time and it was definitely way more flexible for me b/c some weeks I had to spend more time on one class than ochem, so I was able to without worrying about missing lecture attendance points!

2. Planners. If you've read any of my previous college blog posts you know that my planner is my life, haha. You seriously have no idea how many people comment on how hardcore and type-a my planner is because I write down everything. Personally, I need my planner to be of everything going on in my life, meaning I don't have a separate planner for school work and another for like everyday life stuff. The planner I use has each day on a separate page and each day is planned out in 30 minute intervals! And the to-do list section is like 30 bullets long and it allows me to seriously plan the heck out of my day. I write all the major due dates on the monthly spread, and I write in all the smaller assignments on each individual day! But planner preference goes far and wide depending on the person, so find a planner or planning system that works for you!

3.Working ahead. I am the furthest thing from a procrastinator when it comes to huge term papers and projects. Most professors give at least a two week heads-up before a paper/report is due (if they didn't already tell you about it in the syllabus *hint hint* READ THAT THING). Thankfully, each weekend I found out I had a paper due in the upcoming month was always pretty relaxed (meaning all I had to do was study and all the normal weekly class to-do's) so I was able to crank them out two weeks-a month early and be totally stress free the week it was actually due! If you're able to work on an assignment ahead of time, or even just reading chapters ahead of time, do it. You'll thank yourself the week you have two exams and three reports due on top of all your other weekly to-do's.

4. I READ MY DANG SYLLABI. Honestly, you could ignore all my other tips and do just this one thing and be golden during busier semesters (maybe). I know all my class syllabi like the back of my hand, they're my friends, they point me in the right direction. Seriously though, if you are always keeping track of your syllabi and your tentative schedules and planning around those things and taking everything one day at a time, you will feel so much better about the busy semester and you won't be surprised about upcoming due dates! Checking off each day and each "to-do" from my tentative schedules helped me feel way less frazzled during the semester! Utilize them!

I could probably write 5-8 pages in APA format with a full bibliography for you guys on just the topic of "tips and tricks on how to kick each semester's butt", but I won't do that haha. Just breathe, and believe in yourself! I think I had a breakdown every two-four weeks and that is OKAY (actually, it's not - you need to TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, but it is normal. Just, don't think that a breakdown means that you're incapable of succeeding!!!!!!!!) Sometimes I just needed to pause in the middle of studying and cry and browse through a few studyblrs until I felt inspired again (or instagram/pinterest, take your pick!) Just know that the stress and craziness you may feel once in awhile during the semester will NOT last! You'll be okay! You'll do great! And you'll move on and grow and learn from the experience! You can do it!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox, me.