We know this season can be equal parts cozy and chaotic. Staying balanced helps you show up at your best, whether it’s in deadlines, in essays, scholarship applications and finals. Here are a few easy wins for studying smarter, balancing holiday plans, and doing a bit of good along the way.
Finding Your Fall Balance
Study smart, enjoy the season, give a little back.
Study Smarter in Less Time
Short, focused blocks beat marathon sessions. Aim for a 30–40 minute study sprint, take a brief break, then repeat once. Try to put your phone in another room; keep only what you need on the desk.
Wellness That Supports Focus
Fuel your brain: water, simple snacks, and movement after study sprints. A 10-minute walk or stretch can reset energy and improve recall when you sit back down. Try the 20–20–20 eye break. Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds to reduce screen fatigue.
Red Kite Pro Tip: Mini deadlines beat big ones. Break every assignment into 3 parts and set calendar alerts for each.
Scholarships & Deadlines: No Surprises
Check your personalized matches, bookmark the ones you’ll apply for, and turn on SMS deadline reminders in Red Kite so nothing slips by over break.
Gratitude Into Action with Micro-Volunteering That Fits
November is a time for gratitude, giving thanks and giving back wherever we can. A quick thank-you note to a teacher, counselor, coach, or mentor takes two minutes and means a lot. Give back in an hour: stock a pantry, shelve books at the library, volunteer with an organization you’re passionate about.
Red Kite Pro Tip: Around the holidays, map out family plans and key dates first, then fit study blocks around them. Share the plan with parents or roommates so everyone’s on the same page, protected focus time now lets you be fully present for the fun later.
