Secrets From a Girl Who’s Seen it all Before: How to be an Academic Weapon
“As a student here at UMaine Farmington balancing a nursing degree, pre-med aspirations, work responsibilities and community projects, I've navigated through plenty of academic highs and lows. Here are some battle-tested tips on how you can become an "academic weapon," ready to tackle every challenge and thrive” (Makayla Wrigley).
April 9, 2025
Makayla Wrigley, Editor
“I’ve gotta lock in this semester,” said my best friend. We sat across from each other at the round table in the library basement, surrounded by celsius and not-so-healthy ‘study’ snacks. “Locking in,” “girlbossing,” “academic weaponing” to prevent a “crash out.”
College life can be overwhelming. Between coursework, extracurricular activities, social commitments and self-care, students often wonder: how does anyone do it all? As a student here at UMaine Farmington balancing a nursing degree, pre-med aspirations, work responsibilities and community projects, I've navigated through plenty of academic highs and lows. Here are some battle-tested tips on how you can become an "academic weapon," ready to tackle every challenge and thrive:
Master Your Schedule: Procrastination is tempting, but truly successful students become masters of their time. Break your day into realistic blocks. Dedicate focused hours to studying, and always schedule breaks. Prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance will prevent burnout. I know all the professors are like “time management blah blah blah, it’s a skill you need in college.” At the same time, if it’s too much it’s too much. You are responsible for setting those limits and that’s arguably the hardest part of time management; admitting you bit off more than you can chew.
Set Clear Goals: Goals give purpose to your academic life, you have to have your “why” if you’re gonna commit to 4+ years of rigorous academics. Set achievable weekly targets to keep yourself motivated and accountable, but also allow yourself to see the vision. The very day that I switched from my psych major to my pre-med/ nursing major, I started watching Grey’s Anatomy. Romanticizing my future was exactly what I needed to push through studying.
Actively Engage with Material: Avoid memorization at all costs. Learn concepts like befores and afters and make them fit together like puzzle pieces. Learn your microbiology before you learn your anatomy and physiology because that’s where it all starts. Don’t spend all day making notes about that stuff either, but instead do research about the parts of it that interest you. Ask questions as you start material, and make crafts to really see how it all works. Lately I’ve been super into covering my walls in craft paper and white boards and pretending to be a teacher. Plus something about feeling like you’re writing on the wall is such a mad scientist vibe. Not to mention all the AI that can help you study. There’s so many AIs that will make you quizzes, do them at the end of every chapter you read!
Cultivate Strong Relationships: Relationships matter. Connect with professors and peers who can support your journey. If I hadn’t worked in social services, I would never have known that I didn't want to do that for a living. Fast forward two years of making myself like it, I got into healthcare and met people who helped me find what I wanted to be doing. The insights you gain are invaluable and can transform your educational experience, whether it’s academic guidance or work guidance. You aren’t gonna be in college forever, dip your toes in the water of being in the workforce.
Prioritize Self-Care: Your academic performance is directly linked to your physical and mental health. Regular exercise, balanced meals, sufficient sleep, and intentional downtime are non-negotiable but so are nights out with your friends, eating uncrustables for breakfast and consuming ungodly amounts of caffeine. You have to have balance, you’re not a robot, you're a college kid. Someday it’ll all just be stories, make them fun ones and not miserable ones.
Stay Curious: An "academic weapon" remains endlessly curious. Go beyond what is taught in class—explore topics deeply, ask critical questions, and seek additional resources. Curiosity fuels passion and turns learning into a rewarding pursuit rather than a chore. This is where your “why” becomes so crucial. Studying psychology got boring for me because I wasn’t interested in being analytical or doing research. Now as a pre-med student, I want to know how everything works, why it happens and who fixes it. You have to like what you’re doing if you want to really put in the work.
Reflect Regularly: Reflection is powerful. Regularly evaluate your study methods, identify what's working and what isn’t, and be open to adapting your approach. Growth stems from recognizing your strengths and weaknesses clearly and honestly. Failure is an opportunity to learn from your mistakes. If you fail a quiz are you going to ruminate on it or are you going to change your methods?
