Nerdify is hearing bells ringing around the country again as students go back to schools and colleges.

This can be an exciting time of year, but sometimes a stressful and overwhelming one too. That’s why our Personal Nerds have compiled some awesome tips for heading back to your studies stress-free!

And don’t forget, if you need extra support, Nerdify is always standing by and only a message away!

1. Have your timetable and agenda ready!

Nothing will put a downer on your first day back at a college like turning up and having no idea where you’re supposed to go and at what time a certain class starts. Homework, lessons, extra activities and different events can be quite overwhelming so make sure you have a timetable that’s regularly updated and properly plans your activities. Managing your time is critical to your happiness and academic success! By the way, you can ask Nerdify folks to remind you about important stuff like homework, exams, workshops.

2. Be prepared with the right supplies and books.

If your school or college doesn’t supply enough of the right materials (let’s face it, do they ever?) then make sure you’re well-equipped for your first day back. Having the right supplies can not only help you to be more prepared and organized but stationary is also fun! Well, we think so at least. Also, nobody likes the person in their class who is always asking to borrow a pen!

3. Focus on the academic tasks first!

Everyone can slip into procrastination mode and sometimes prioritize their social activities and hobbies over their studies. But this can have stressful repercussions if we allow it to happen too often, especially in the first few weeks of term when getting ahead and staying ahead is important. Remember, if you need extra help so you can spend more time on fun activities then Nerdify is standing by to help you out with any of your tasks and assignments!

4. Write down your academic goals for the term or year.

As with everything in life, it’s so important to set yourself tangible goals and milestones. We all need something to strive towards, otherwise, it can often feel like our endless work has no real destination or result. Writing down your goals will allow you to properly manage your time and plan your strategy for reaching them. To do lists have been proven to be a powerful driving, motivating force!

5. Learn what type of learner you are!

If you have high expectations for yourself during this academic term (and why shouldn’t you!) it could be really important for you to work out what kind of learner you are. And we don’t mean whether you’re a slow learner or a fast one, or anything like that. But how do you better learn? What’s your process? Maybe you’re more auditory and need music and speeches. Perhaps you’re more of a visual learner that needs pictures and writing or maybe you’re vocal and need to talk about subjects and write notes to better retain the information.

And there we have it: 5 top tips from our Personal Nerds on how to get the most out of your first days and weeks back at school. Don’t forget to drop us a message if you need extra advice or support!

As our Nerdify reviews team has been thinking about the best holiday movies to watch, we had a lengthy list of ideas because every person had something that they prefer or would like to see during the holidays. Therefore, we came up with an idea of different movies where both young and old could find something that they would like. The most important is to have fun and remain inspired right away. Starting with the teenage and mysterious to something that you could watch with the youngsters, our list will bring up a smile for the holidays and give you some ideas to explore!

Operation Christmas Drop (2020)
If you want to watch something that stands out of the ordinary, Nerdify recommends this entertaining movie. It all starts with the special mission of a dedicated congressional assistant (played by Kat Graham) who is sent to Guam with an investigation. She must explore the delivery of gifts and supplies to the locals by the U.S. Air Force. As she finally arrives in Guam, she is greeted by the captain who is a person behind the project (played by Alexander Ludwig). Eventually, it becomes an even more important mission. Without giving away too much, we can tell you that this movie will keep you inspired since it is not the most common Christmas story!

Dash & Lily (2020)
We know how bad it feels when you are watching a movie and it finally comes to an end. It brings up a sad feeling, especially when you are watching something on your own. Therefore, our friendly bunch at the Nerdify reviews decided to tell you about the great TV series that will keep you busy for hours. If you want to keep smiling and wait for the new episode, it is the right choice. It is based on the “Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. The plot is based on the adventures of two teens who follow the dares that are written in the notebook. It is an exchange of dare sets that must be done. Always fun and light-humored, it will keep your spirits high!

Holidate (2020)
It is not an overly complex movie plot that revolves around Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey) who are brought together as the people who pretend to know each other despite being two complete strangers. The idea is acting up as the fake holiday dates to trick everyone into not being alone. They have decided to call it “holidates”. As they spend more time with each other, they start seeing things differently because they are not strangers anymore. While it may sound like a usual love story, this movie will help people feel that they are not alone any longer. It has great dialogues and some things that we all can learn from each other.

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
This beautiful family holiday movie has a special place in the hearts of everyone at the Nerdify reviews team. You can bring along your younger siblings or watch it along with your friends because Christmas is all about love, kindness, friendship, and happiness. This Christmas musical deals with an inventor called Jeronicus Jangle who has his best invention stolen by an apprentice. The only person who can remedy the situation is Jangle’s granddaughter. Her helper is a robot who has been invented by her Grandfather. A truly interesting story about friendship and sincerity that will make your holiday feel just like childhood!

A Taste of Christmas (2020)
As we all know, Christmas is about helping each other and bringing a miracle. This amazing movie tells a story about true friendship and walking the extra mile to make things work. The setting takes place at the Italian restaurant that must have its big opening exactly on Christmas Eve. Things do not work as they have been planned, which is why Natalie (played by Annie Krueger) is trying to help her cousin. The Chef called Stefano (played by the charming Gilles Marini) does not believe that a restaurant can open on time. Will the Christmas magic happen? Watch this movie to find out!

Organize Online Watching Party

Remember that you can set up a virtual holiday movie night along with the family and friends by hosting it online. Even if you have not done anything like that before, it is worth trying to make your holiday complete. All it takes is sharing your link with the list of people you would like to invite. As the movie is running, you can share audio and show your screen, so you can create a family environment even if you spend the holiday season away from each other. Set the reminders and organize things in advance regarding the snacks. Most importantly, always have fun!

Living in a dormitory is a staple of the college experience. Many students make friendships in college that carry on for years. Others…well…do not. 

There are so many things that you can do to meet new students. You can offer help to those who can’t get a handle on the homework, go to the gym together, or even host a movie night. But what are some of the best ways to meet new people? Especially in a dormitory. 

It’s always beneficial to meet new people in your dorm because of the ease of access. Having friends in your dormitory means that you don’t have to wait until class to see someone again. Is it easy to make friends in a dorm? Well, that depends on how open you are to meeting new people. If you are, and keep in mind that most people are friendly, then you too can make friends in a dorm using these tips.

1. Smile at everyone

Remember to smile at others. That is a very important skill if you want to know how to make friends and expand your social circle. Smiling at others lets them know that you are friendly and open to talk. In turn, they can relax around you and open up a bit.

Protip: If you meet someone you like, make sure to ask what their name is and REMEMBER IT! One thing that we all have in common is that we love to hear the sound of our own names. And when in the middle of a conversation, be sure to actually LISTEN. Don’t just prep what you’re going to say next while they’re talking. People know when people are really listening to them.

Want to know how to grow a social circle even more? When somebody invites you to do something with them or their group, say yes! This will lead to you meeting all kinds of different people. It’s okay if you’re busy, but please remember that saying no too many times will cause people to stop asking, whether you have a good excuse or not.

This skill is also great if you want to know how to make friends in community college. These types of schools don’t usually have dormitories, but smiling at people is a great thing to do no matter where you are.

2. Attend as many college events as you can

This next step is perhaps the most effective step for making friends in college. Don’t just stay inside your room playing video games or reading Reddit posts. If you’re truly interested in meeting students with common interests, make sure to join a club. This way, you are guaranteed to meet people who have a passion for the same things you do.

You’ll learn more about your passion since your classmates will have a different perspective on it and might look at the same thing from a different point of view. They can tell you something about it that you didn’t know about. You can also discover what your strengths and weaknesses are in a particular area.

Attending events is an important lesson in how to make friends in college if you are shy because you can find a sense of belonging. There is something prideful about being part of a group where everyone has something in common. This is also important because you will learn how to work with a team of people. This provides you with soft skills that you will need after you graduate, especially when you start work. 

Speaking of starting work, you’ll be able to add your participation in a group to your resume. Joining a group proves that you have learned certain skills that will be useful to the company you want to work for.

3. Try to leave your door open

If you consider yourself an open person, consider keeping your door open. Many students are extroverted and want to know how long it takes to make friends in college. If you want to start quickly, this is great because you can meet new people without even getting up from your chair. 

When keeping your door open, you’re telling people that they are welcome to come into your room and chat you up. It shows that you are approachable. Eventually, other students will pop in and say hi. Some students are afraid to walk up to a stranger because they don’t know if somebody is open or not. Leaving the door open kills the nervousness that comes from trying to walk up and approach people you don’t know. 

Protip: if EVERYONE keeps their doors open, then it will be very easy to make friends with everyone on your floor. This is great if you don’t know how to make friends in class. Keep in mind that people WILL pop into your room. This tip is not for everybody, so if you’re the type of person who prefers privacy, maybe you can consider one of our other tips instead.

In Conclusion

With these tips, you will be able to meet people anywhere and know how to make friends in college when everyone already has friends. But no matter what tip you try, always remember to be approachable. Keep eye contact. Listen to others. Nobody wants to be around somebody who is in a bad mood all the time, so be sure to keep your spirits up when out and about with new people!

If you would like more tips on how to succeed in college and university, follow the Nerdify reviews blog for a comprehensive game plan on how to achieve great results in your studies.