A new semester is upon us and in this quick video

新的學期即將到來，在這部簡短的視頻中

I wanna give you a few things that you can do

我要提供大家一些可以做的事情

to make sure that semester goes smoothly.

讓大家的學期可以過得很順利

And one of the biggest things I wanna focus on in this video

其中一件我在這部視頻中會強調的重點就是

is setting yourself up to not burn out and lose motivation

讓自己準備好，不要讓自己在學期過程中

as the semester goes on.

筋疲力盡或失去動力

'Cause I know when a new semester comes upon us,

我知道新學期即將到來

you're full of a lot of motivation, right?

大家都充滿了幹勁，是不是呢？

You're full of all this like, new, refreshed energy,

大家現在應該都摩拳擦掌

and you really wanna do well in all your classes,

等不及要在課堂上好好表現一番

and get involved, and hang out with people,

參加活動，跟朋友出去玩

and do all that stuff.

一起做許多事情

As the semester goes on, you start to lose that motivation, right?

隨著學期的進行，你可能會開始喪失動力，我說的沒錯吧?

Things just pile on, and due dates start to pile up,

要做的事情開始堆積如山，繳交作業日期也變多了

and your motivation starts to wane.

然後你的動力就開始哀嚎

So I wanna talk about some things you can do

因此我在這裡想和大家說說可以做些甚麼

to make sure that doesn't happen

來避免這些狀況發生

or at least, to let you mitigate those effects,

或至少降低影響

and not let them make you lose steam.

讓它們不至於讓你失去動力

But first, I wanna talk about, just the changing of habits.

不過首先我要說的，就是改變習慣

So in Charles Duhigg's book, The Power of Habit,

這是我在查爾斯．杜希格的書 <為什麼我們這樣生活，那樣工作？> 中

which I have read and highly recommend,

讀到並且想大力向大家推薦的

he talks about how people are apt

書中作者談到人們

to change their set patterns, their regular behaviors,

改變他們的既定模式和固定行為

more often during large life changes,

往往是在經歷人生重大事件之後

such as moving to a new house, or becoming a parent,

例如，搬新家、當了爸媽

or getting married.

或結婚

People who get married or move to a new house

結婚或是搬到新居的人

are really apt to change the brand of coffee they drink

傾向改變他們喝的咖啡牌子

or the cereal they eat.

或是他們吃的穀片

And the book mentions

書中還提到說

that people going through these big life changes

經歷過其人生重大事件的人

are actually more vulnerable to marketers

通常對於商人比較沒有免疫力

because of these huge upheavals in their life.

這是因為他們生活中出現大幅動盪的緣故

Now, this is great information for marketers,

這對商人來說是個很棒的資訊

maybe not such great information for you

若你想要成為一個敏銳的消費者

if you wanna be a discerning shopper.

就未必是好消息了

But it is good information for you

不過如果你想要改變習慣

if you wanna change you own habits

這可會是個好消息唷

because just as those habits are vulnerable to marketers,

因為既然這些習慣面對商人的手段不堪一擊

they're also vulnerable

那換言之它們對於阻礙你前進

to intervention on your own part, right?

也會同樣脆弱是吧?

So a new semester is the perfect time to look at your habits

因此新學期是檢視習慣的一個好時機

and see what changes you can make,

思考有那些習慣是需要改變的

see what systems you can build to become more efficient

想想你可以建立甚麼樣的系統提升效率

and effective as the semester goes on.

並且能在整個學期都一直保持這份效率

So I want to talk about a couple of things

所以我想和大家分享幾件

that could really help you out in that regard.

可以實際幫助大家度過難關的方法

But first, I have some quicker tips

不過，首先先和大家講幾個撇步

that will help you before the semester starts

能對大家在學期開始前後

or right when it starts,

有所助益

to make sure things go as smoothly as possible.

確保事情都進行得很順暢

Number one,

第一點

you wanna know exactly what you require

你在學期開始前就清楚知道

in terms of gear, and textbooks, and all that good stuff

所有必要的行頭、教科書等

before the semester starts.

所有必備品

Does this mean you need to buy

這代表你需要在開課前

all of your textbooks right away, before classes start?

立馬買下所有教科書嗎?

Not necessarily.

不盡然

What I recommend doing

我建議的做法是

is at least looking at the book requirements,

你至少要先看過書的大鋼

maybe even emailing teachers and saying,

或者你甚至可以寫電子郵件問老師詢問

"Hey, do I actually need the book?

「哈囉，我真的用得上這本書嗎?」

"Do I need the newest edition? Can I get a used edition?"

「我需要最新的版本嗎?可以用二手的嗎?」

And just having that knowledge stored in your pocket,

有了這些資訊

know it in the back of your mind.

把這些都記下

Now, if there are books

好，假若有些書

that are going to take a while to ship,

需要一段時間才能進貨

you can only get them in paper,

並且只有紙本

you can't rent them as an e-textbook,

沒有辦法以電子教科書的方式租借

or you can't get them from the campus bookstore in a pinch,

或是無法在緊要關頭時在校園書店買到

yes, you're gonna want to get those books

你會希望能在學期的第一週前

well ahead of time just to make sure

就提早拿到書

you can get a good start on the first week of the semester.

以求能有個好的開始

I always think, you know, in my opinion,

我常在想，就我個人而言

that it's better to spend a little bit of money

我寧可多花一些錢

on a textbook you're not quite sure about

買不太確定的教科書

than it is to lose a lot of progress

也總比在開課的前幾週

in your first couple weeks of class,

花時間等待書送達

while you're waiting for it to ship

而因此落後進度來得好

because that can derail an entire semester.

因為這會影響到整個學期的進度

However, for books at you can rent very quickly

不過，若你需要的書是可以快速

via Amazon Kindle or other e-textbook methods,

透過 Amazon Kindle 或是其他電子教科書的方式借到

or maybe something you can find very cheaply in town,

或是你能在鎮上買到便宜的書

maybe it's okay to book gamble.

也許可以賭賭看

You know, wait 'til the first day of class.

等到開課的第一天

See if you can share a book with a friend or something,

看看你是否能和朋友借看一下書

or see if it's actually that required.

或看看買的書是否視實際需要的

And if it is, you can go pick it up very quickly.

如果是的話，就趕緊去把它買來

If not, you've saved yourself a good amount of money.

如果不是的話，你就省下一筆錢了!

Another tip that I have used a lot

另個我自己在大學生涯

during my whole college career

常用的竅門就是

was actually put my professor's office hours

把教授們的辦公室時間

on my Google Calendar.

記錄在我的 Google 行事曆中

Now, Google Calendar. Let's you actually create

Google 行事曆現在可以建立多個

multiple different calendars that you can turn off and on.

不同的行事曆，你可以分別將它們開啟和關閉

So usually, I would only be showing my class,

通常我只會顯示我的上課

and work, and event calendars,

工作和事件行事曆

but I had this other calendar

不過我另外還有這個行事曆

that showed all my professors' office hours

它顯示我所有教授的辦公室時間

that I could turn on and off at will.

我可以隨心情開啟或關閉

And that way, if I did need to go see a professor,

如此一來，當我想要去找某位教授時

I didn't need to go digging through the university website

我不需要跑到學校網站上找半天

to see when they'd be in the office.

才能知道他們究竟在不在辦公室

I had it all in the calendar.

這些資訊都在我的行事曆上了

I had that set up before the semester started

我在學期開始前就把這份資訊準備好

and everything got busy,

一旦開始忙起來時

and I could see exactly where their office was,

我可以很明確的知道教授的辦公室位置

when I could go in, what their phone number was,

何時可去，電話號碼為何

and all that good stuff.

等等所有相關資訊

So I highly recommend doing that.

因此我強烈建議大家和我一樣

It's really easy, just look on the syllabuses you get,

這一點也不難，只要從你的課程大綱得知

syllabi, I guess is the plural word,

課程大綱，嗯，我想應該有很多張

or look on the university website.

或是從大學的網站上取得

Most professors have their own little website

大部分教授都有他們自己的小型網站

and you can create that stuff right there.

你也可以透過教授的網站取得這些資訊

Now, a couple of other calendar related tips.

好，接下來是其他和行事曆相關的撇步

Number one, get all of you classes into your Google Calendar

第二點，請在學期開始之前

before the semester starts.

把你所有的課堂資訊記錄到你的 Google 行事曆

And, a little less obvious tip to attach to that,

還有一個雖然不太容易發現和這個有關的技巧

actually look on the university website and map,

請大家實際到大學的網站和地圖上

figure out what the locations and room numbers

找出上課地點和你上課的教室編號

of your classes are, and put that in the details section

然後將這些資訊放入 Google 行事曆

of Google Calendar.

的詳細資料區段

I actually wrote an article last year

去年我寫過一篇文章

about how I, every semester before classes started,

是關於我自己會在每個學期每堂課開始之前

would go around campus, making sure I knew exactly where my classes were,

在校園內走走，確定我確實知道教室的位置在哪裡

especially if I had multiple classes

尤其是當我有很多門課

that had a very small gap of time between them.

彼此間距很近的時候

That way, I wasn't wasting time getting lost

如此一來，我就不用浪費時間迷路了

and it was just a better way to start the semester, I think.

我相信這會是學期的一個好的開始

But having that information in Google Calendar,

雖然你的資訊是放在 Google 行事曆

even if you don't go looking for your classes' locations

但即便你不去親自找出來看教室的位置在哪

personally, in the flesh, before the classes start,

就個人經驗，你在開課之前就會有印象了

you'll actually have the information

實際上你已獲得這份資訊了

and you can look up a diagram.

你可以查詢示意圖

I would also link to the campus maps and building diagrams,

我也會連結校園地圖並建立示意圖

like floor plans, in my Google Calendar,

好比說我會在 Google 行事曆中紀錄樓層

just in case I got really confused

在我昏頭轉向

and needed to see where something was.

需要一些輔助時可以派上用場

On more than one occasion,

不僅一次，

I actually was able to help somebody else who was lost

我甚至還可以幫忙那些和你要前往

and needed to find a classroom on the same floor

同層樓上課

that I was going to.

的迷路同學們

And lastly, on that calendar front,

最後，在行事曆的前面

it's good to put the semester's significant dates

最好還要在放上

in your calendar.

該學期的重要日程

I'm talkin' stuff like days when there won't be school,

我指的是，比如說不用上課的日子

the start of Spring Break, the start of Thanksgiving Break,

寒假開始日、感恩節假期

when finals are.

期末考等等

That stuff is usually up on the university website.

這些資訊通常都會放在大學網站明顯的地方

They usually have a calendar of significant dates

網站上通常都會有一個

in the semester

學期重要日程行事曆

and you can transfer that stuff all towards your calendar.

你就可以把這些資訊傳送到你的行事曆囉

The reason this is a really good idea

為什麼這是一個很棒的主意呢?

is because I advocate every single week,

因為我提倡大家每一週喔

looking at your calendar on Sunday

都要在當週星期日那天檢視行事曆

and creating a week's plan of events and tasks.

想一下當週的事件和待辦工作

And if those event's are already on the calendar,

如果這些事件已記錄好在你的行事曆上了

you can look at, say Monday, and say,

你就可以看著它，說出星期一

"Oh, that's Labor Day. I don't have school.

「喔! 是勞動節耶! 不用上課!」

"I can work on a new project or I can go have fun."

「我可以來從事一些新的規劃或找些樂子」

And you don't have to go looking at the university website

你那一週就不需要再跑去學校網站

for those dates during that week.

查詢這些放假日期了

And you don't have to be surprised about those

也不用對於這些重大日期

significant dates.

感到意外

You'll know well in advance

你事先就會知道

because you put in the groundwork before hand.

因為你事先做好功課了

Now, let's talk about things you can do to ensure

好，現在讓我們來談談可以做哪些事情

you don't run out of steam as the semester goes on.

讓你不會在學期中感到焦頭爛額

You know, you're really motivated as the semester starts.

我們往往會在學期開始時覺得活力充沛

We wanna make sure you can keep as much of that motivation

但是我們要確保這股動力

as the months wear on, as the assignments and test pile up.

能隨著時間繼續下去，隨著作業跟考試越積越多

And the first thing that you want to do

首要之務就是

is make sure you have good study habits.

確認你是否有良好的讀書習慣

And one of the best ways to build good study habits

建立良好讀書習慣的其中一個方法

is to make sure you have a good location for studying.

就是確保你有一個讀書的好場所

If you remember in a previous video,

如果你還記得先前視頻中曾提過

I talked about a study done at The University of Hawaii,

我有提到夏威夷大學曾做過一項研究

where students literally just turned their desks

讓學生們將桌子轉向牆壁

towards a wall and put a note on a lamp

然後在他們的桌燈上貼一張

that said Study Area.

寫著讀書區的便條紙

And the students that actually did this

照做的學生

were able to raise their GPAs.

成績都突飛猛進

So before the semester starts

因此在學期開始之前

or maybe during the first week,

或是在學期開始的第一週

identify a good location

請找個好位置

for you to do most of your studying in.

讓你能夠專心讀書

And you can pair that with a set studying time each day

除了個好位子，也可以抓個固定時間搭配

or maybe a time that works for each day on you calendar.

或是每天一個固定的時間

So maybe the library is a good location for you.

也許圖書館會是個好去處

It's quiet, there's a lot of other people working,

那裏很安靜，又有一群人在那裏念書

so you kinda get that good vibe of focused work.

所以你多少也會跟著專心起來

And you can put on your calendar

所以大家可以在你的行事曆上註明

that every day from two to four, or something like that,

每天固定兩點到四點，好比說這樣

you're gonna go there, you're going to get all the studying

這個時間你就是去念書的時候，只要專心念書

and reviewing assignments done that you need to get done,

然後把完成的作業再好好檢查一下

and that'll start building a habit.

如此你便養成一個習慣了

So two months down the line

兩個月後

when you're a little bit stressed

即便當你感到有點壓力大

and you've a lot more assignments,

有一堆作業要做時

you still have that habit engrained.

你仍然能夠持之以恆

You're still gonna be at a library every single day,

依舊可以維持每天到圖書館報到

like you said you would,

說到做到

and you're keeping steam going throughout the semester.

如此一來你的動力便可在整個學期中維持下去

One final tip for that first week of classes

最後一個撇步是和開課第一週有關

is to introduce yourself to your professors.

就是跟教授介紹自己

Maybe go up to them after the first class,

也許你可以在下課時走上前

shake their hand, introduce yourself.

和他們握握手，介紹一下自己

And that's gonna make it a lot easier

這個舉動將對你克服

for you to get over the initial mental blocks

初期在辦公時間拜訪的心理障礙

for going to office hours

會有幫助的

if you happen to need help during the semester.

如果你剛好在學期過程中需要協助

You already know the professor,

而你已認識那名教授

they're a familiar person, familiar face,

他們對你而言就是熟悉和善的人

and you won't have as much trouble

你就不需要煩惱

going in and asking for help.

不知道要去哪尋求協助了

That's gonna help you if you run into difficulties

這能在你學期中間遇上困難時

during this semester,

有所助益

which could otherwise cause you to derail on your studies.

否則有可能導致你學習困難

The worst thing is getting behind.

最糟的狀況是落後

Yes, you can recover from getting behind

沒錯，你雖然可以趕上進度

with a lot of hard work,

但那要花費相當大的心力

but if you can prevent that by seeking help

但如果你能早早搬救兵

and assistance when you need it,

尋找援助

and you can make that as easy as possible,

一切不就可以輕鬆多了嗎？

then that's going to be to your benefit.

對你而言是有好處的

So I hope these quick tips helped you out.

所以我希望今天分享的這些撇步大家能派上用場

If you're watching this at the beginning of a new semester,

如果你是在新學期的開始看到這支視頻

I hope your new semester gets off to an awesome start

希望你的新學期能有個好開始

and stays that way.

一路一帆風順

Thanks for watchin' and I'll see you next week.

感謝大家的觀賞，我們下週見

- [Voiceover] Hey, guys.

嗨，各位!

Thanks so much for watching this video

感謝大家觀賞這支視頻

on how to get a great start to the new semester.

關於如何在新學期取得先機

Now, if you wanna get new tips on being a more effective student every single week,

如果你想要得知更多如何讓每週都過得更有效率的話

you can click that big, red Subscribe button right there.

你可以按一下這裡這個大大紅色的訂閱按鈕

Also, I wrote a completely free book on how to earn better grades,

此外，我還寫了關於如何拿到好成績的免費書

so if you wanna get a copy of that,

如果你想要一本