The last three months have been a whirlwind for most people, with a tiny virus wreaking havoc on our health and daily lives. College life was suddenly upended, with all classes going online and no more extracurriculars at the MSC or The Rec. While some students remained on the front lines at our hospitals and groceries, many just went home for the rest of the semester, with one day melting into another. Kind of like a six-week Spring Break with tests. While it is convenient to watch a lecture whenever you want, wearing whatever you want, there are some things that need to be done on time.
“So, learning to keep a calendar may be one of the more important skills you acquire during the pandemic.”
Yes, a calendar. Now is a great time to enforce the habit of making and using a calendar. While discussions are still underway about the Fall semester at Texas A&M, your schedule will probably find you having five different ‘days’ each week, classes going later in the day, and meetings being scheduled on the fly frequently. You will no longer have the MWF/TR familiar rhythm to keep things going. Those little ‘hooks’ (I am meeting with the prelaw advisor on Tuesday after Econ class) no longer exist!
Instead of floundering in a sea of missed events, start using your Google calendar today. It is connected to your university email account and can make your life much easier. In addition to school-related things (tests, lectures, group meetings), you can easily check your calendar BEFORE making an appointment with an advisor, career counselor or professor.
Many employers and graduate/professional schools are also scheduling interviews online, too!
Once you start using your calendar, remember that people will remember those who frequently miss appointments, or zoom in in their PJs while lounging on the sofa. Right now, Zoom seems to be the preferred platform on our campus. If you are not familiar with it, go practice with your friends or relatives. What a great way to say Howdy to a friend far away! Record your conversation (with their permission, of course) and then you can review how you look online. When an advisor schedules an appointment, this should send you an email with the information. If you accept the appointment, it will be on your Google calendar. Easy, peasy! No missed meetings!
- Written by Karen W. Severn, Associate Director, Professional School Advising