End of Semester Thoughts and Advice
End of semester thoughts and Advice Heading link
The end of the semester is almost here! This is great: your hard work during the semester has paid off. You are preparing for your final projects and exams, and you can look back and see all the things you’ve accomplished.
Maybe this was your first time living alone in a different country, or maybe it was your first semester at UIC. Well done! Celebrate at the Tutorium end-of-session party and say goodbye to your teachers and your classmates—some of them will stay your friends for many years, but others you may not see again. It is important to have closure.
Just as important, however, is to think about what comes next. Even if you’re not absolutely sure, you need to make a plan: the worst thing that can happen is to find yourself in a few weeks’ time hurrying to catch up with paperwork!
So, what is your next step?
- Are you going to the next level? Register with the TIE.
- Are you applying for a different program or a university? Make sure your application is ready by the deadline, and you have a plan for other aspects of your life in the U.S. (housing, insurance, transportation).
And what about your English? This is why you came to the Tutorium in the first place! You now know many strategies to study, improve your grammar, expand your vocabulary, or enhance your reading comprehension and writing skills. Which of the things you have done during the semester can you continue doing? If you want to keep improving, you cannot stop now just because the classes are over, right?
- Consider a regular reading schedule. (Not quite a reading log, but maybe a minimum page count a week?)
- Think about writing a diary. (How else to keep practicing your writing skills if not by writing?)
- Collect contact information from your classmates. (Stay in touch and practice English with them even after the classes are over.)
- Look at your study materials. (Maybe keep using your textbooks or your materials on your own.)
- What are some ways to have fun with English? Can you use it more if you play, sing, hang out? What works for you?
Whatever you do, do not stop using English just because classes are over. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it! Most of your hard work from this semester will be lost if you forget what you’ve learned—so, keep speaking, listening, reading, and writing in English every day. You have accomplished so much this semester, so don’t let it go away!