We know the excitement is building for your first semester at Case Western Reserve. We will share additional tools and resources throughout the next few months; however, here are a few suggestions to get you started.
- Invest in a planner. Whether it’s online (e.g. Google Calendar) or traditional pen and paper style, you’ll start off on the right foot with an organizational tool that works for you. It will be up to you to track your courses, assignments, involvement and more.
- “Organization is key! At the start of the semester, I like to fill up my Google calendar with all the exam dates for my classes, so when midterms and finals season begins to roll around, I'm not completely shocked that it's already here. This way, I can also keep track of the assignments I need to complete before exam week rolls around so I'm not drowning in studying and homework”. - Mashaal ‘25
- Download time management apps. There are a lot of great apps out there to help with your time management skills. Some of our favorites include:
- Evernote
- Remember The Milk
- Trello
- Also the Screen Time feature on iPhones (especially the App Limits feature) and Androids, and the Reminders app built into the iPhone.
- Accessible from Gmail, Google Calendar, your phone, and your desktop, there are numerous ways to integrate Google Tasks into your virtual planner.
- Go ahead and create a resume. When you’re involved in co-curriculars, work or internships, think about how they fit into a narrative about who you are and what your goals are that you can communicate on your resume.
- Talk to your family and friends about expectations. How often should you call home? How can they best understand your life at college? What is the best way for you to keep the lines of communication open? While those questions and many more will come up over the next few months, start the conversation now. Chances are you’ll have to make adjustments along the way, but we’ve found that open communication is the best way to make the transition.
- Start exploring campus resources. There is so much available to you as a CWRU student and we want to make sure as a new student to our campus that you understand the services available to you.