Exam Season Do's & Don'ts

Here are my 10 best do’s and don’ts for surviving exam season, whether it’s midterms or finals, they all are the same type of terrible.

Do:

1. Drink enough water!!

Water is known to have many benefits for the body, plus, you’re skin will be glowing to the gods. When you look good you feel good, and when you feel good you’ll do well on your exams!

2. Study ahead of time.

Nobody likes a procrastinator, yet, we all are guilty of always pushing things back until the last possible minute. Study ahead of time! Even a small amount each day goes a long way!

3. Form a study group.

Chances are you and your fellow classmates are all in the same boat and are terrified of the impending doom that is a cumulative exam. Studying together will take some stress off you, and it will help you not feel alone.

4. Reach out to your professor or go to their office hours!

A lot of people are scared to approach professors during or after class time. Don’t be! They are there to help you! Chances are if you visit them during office hours you’ll understand the material a little more with the one-on-one attention.

5. Get a good night sleep the day before your exam!

If you’re like me, then sleep is your best friend. The most important time to get some rest is the night before your big exam day!

Don’ts:

1. Start studying the night before/ pull an all-nighter.

I am guilty of this too many times I have pulled an all-nighter because I procrastinated too much and only had 12 hours before exam time. So, of course, I lived at the TECH because that was the only place I could get quality studying done.

2. Rely solely on your study group partners to do all the work

Nobody likes a Freeloading Joe :)

3. Not study because you think you know everything.

Chances are unless you have a photographic memory (which is something not many people are gifted with) then you need to at least glance at your notes so you have some idea of what is going on. Even a quick refresh will benefit you!

4. Study for hours and hours on end!

DO NOT STUDY FOR HOURS AND HOURS!! Take a break, eat some food, or my favorite, take a nap! If you study for constant hours the material will all become a jumbled mess in your head, take a break you’ll remember the material better.

5. Overstress!

If you've been paying attention, taking notes, and doing what you need to get done in the course, you’ll be fine. Now if you’ve been skipping class the entire semester, you may want to consider withdrawing and making it up another semester!

This blog post was written by Gabrielle Arias, Director of Community Service.

*Insert Title Here* - Dealing with Writer's Block

Writer’s block. It’s something we’ve all heard of and most likely have or will endure a few times throughout our careers. Those late, stressful nights where you sit down to write and it’s as if you’ve never written anything before in your life. After what seems like an eternity you think you are finally making progress on your paper, but realize it just looks like this:

All ideas are gone, nothing makes sense, and suddenly you barely remember how to type and wonder why you went into a field where writing is necessary. "Will this ever pass?" You might wonder to yourself and I’m here to tell you it will--I mean I’m writing this blog after sitting at my computer for hours on end thinking of a topic.

1. Walk away

Literally. Get up from your desk, chair, floor--wherever you might be trying to write and take a walk. Not only will you get some fresh air and your daily exercise in but you never know what or who you will walk by.

2. Change your environment

Similar to walking away from your writing space, changing up your environment can provide inspiration. If you’re writing in your room, go to the library, Tech or an empty classroom on campus. Or, if you’re like me, a trip to Rittenhouse Square is a go-to when I need inspiration. If none of those places work out, a coffee shop is always a safe bet to get you in the zone--I mean what’s better than a cup of coffee to get you out of a funk?

3. Talk to your friends

Talk to your friends, sister, brother, mom, dad, roommates--really anyone in your life. Talking to people and brainstorming ideas with them helps TREMENDOUSLY! Some of the best papers and blogs I’ve written came from brainstorming sessions with my friends. Hearing what other people are interested in reading is a great way to come up with a story!

4. Free write

You’re probably thinking--if I have writer’s block what am I going to free write about? The answer: anything and everything. Write down what you're thinking, what you’re feeling, what you did today--really anything that crosses your mind. Just getting your mind to think will eventually lead to a topic to write a story about.

This blog post was written by Allison Eckel, Director of Social Media.

Membership Spotlight: Sophia Rosato

The first membership spotlight of the year is Sophia Rosato, a junior from Gwynedd Valley, PA, majoring in strategic communication. This is Sophia’s second semester as a member of PRSSA and she is a committed member of our chapter, always engaging in meetings and attending outside events!

Here is a Q&A session with Sophia:

Q: Why do you love PRSSA? What do you hope to get out of it?

A: I love PRSSA because I am surrounded by people who have similar professional passions to myself, but different interests, so I can learn how to implement what I know about PR to so many different fields. The atmosphere never makes me feel dumb to ask questions and I truly feel like everyone involved genuinely wants to help each other out, which is something I don’t feel like we have enough of in this world.

I hope to get some advice from professionals in the field through agency tours and guest speakers, as well as friendships and connections with other members who I will hopefully work with one day.

Q: What have you done with the PR committee?

A: So far in the PR committee Thatcher has been doing a great job finding us and showing us real examples of the work we will be doing in the field. We have gone over the parts of a press release, media kit and pitch. This has been extremely helpful for me because I have not done much PR writing in many of my classes yet, so I finally feel like I have a base of knowledge of what is expected of a PR professional.

Q: What PRSSA events have you participated in?

A: Last year I went to the TU Invitational, which I personally think was a huge step in the right direction for me. It was my first real networking event and opened my eyes to the array of jobs and companies I could work for one day. I am also enrolled in the PRSSA Mentorship Program which I am excited to participate in. I also recently went on the Braithwaite agency tour which I found to be super helpful. It was very relaxed in the sense that I felt comfortable asking questions and meeting not only the internship coordinators of the agency but the CEO of the company himself. Not to mention the office was gorgeously Instagram-worthy.

Q: What other TU organizations are you a part of?

A: I have been a part of WHIP Radio, Insomnia Theatre, Temple Ad Club, as well as worked for Aramark’s Temple University marketing and social media team.

Q: What is the coolest place you’ve ever visited?

A: Although Europe was pretty cool to see, I think Washington would have to be my favorite place I have visited. Seattle is definitely one of my favorite cities now.

Q: Favorite social media platform and why?

A: Instagram is definitely my absolute favorite social media platform. I love taking pictures of EVERYTHING. My phone is always out of storage because of all the pictures I hoard. You can ask any of my friends, I am always the one behind the camera snapping pics of everyone and everything at the party or at any event or of everyone’s brunch in center city. Instagram gives me the perfect outlet to show people my life through pictures. I love the use of Instagram as a branding tool, and having done social media work for my family’s business as well as Temple Dining and different class assignments. I could see myself utilizing it as a major skill throughout my career.

Q: Dream job?

A: My dream job would probably be a celebrity event planner. As a very OCD and organized person, I love planning and organizing every aspect of anything. Even parties with my friends I love to put planning effort and décor aspects into, sometimes even themes! If I got to do this for high profile celebrities, think of the unlimited budgets! To throw extravagantly unforgettable events for people would be a dream. I think with anything I end up doing, I always want to make a lasting impression, and leave people with nothing but good memories.

To learn more about Sophia follow her on social media! Instagram: @sophrosato Twitter: @sophrosato

Linkedin/Facebook: Sophia Rosato Website: http://sophiarosato.com/

This blog post was written by Caitlin Gemmi, Digital Publications Editor & Sophia Rosato, General Body Member & Spotlight Recipient.