Student Snippets A Window Into The Daily Life & Thoughts of SLIS Students

Start of the Semester Reflection and Tips

Posted January 28, 2026 by Mary Kassman

Photo of Mary Kassman

It is hard to believe that I’m starting my last semester at SLIS! This past year and half has been busy, but I’ve loved every second of it! I’ve taken three semesters of classes, completed my field placement for LIS 438, interviewed for countless jobs and internships, and have been working two jobs. This semester I am taking LIS 462: Establishing Archives and Manuscript Programs, LIS 472: Digitization Project Planning and Management, and LIS 505: Preventative Conservation. For 462, I am looking forward to learning more about the management side of archives, and working on my advocacy skills. For 472, I am looking forward to actually getting some hands-on digitization experience! I feel like this is the one area of archives that I need more experience in, and to be able to actually work on digitizing materials from the Simmons Archives is exciting. Lastly, for 505, I’m looking forward to getting hands-on preservation experience. Preservation Management was my favorite class I took last semester, and being able to apply the skills I learned in that course to a real life setting (The Simmons Art Gallery and Wentworth’s Archives) is going to be invaluable to my career and a great learning experience. 


As for my tips for the beginning of the semester they are as follows:

  • Record all the important due dates for each class in your calendar! Whether it be physically or digitally, having them recorded helps you stay on track with assignments.
  • Connect with your classmates! Having a friend in each class makes getting through the coursework easier, and if you have to miss a class, you have someone to fill you in.
  • Set an “unofficial” study schedule for yourself! Something that has made balancing school and work easier, is setting aside at least an hour each day to work on specific tasks for each course. For example, on Mondays I watch all the lecture videos for my online class, Tuesdays I work on readings, Wednesdays I work on discussion forums, etc.
  • Don’t forget to take time for yourself! It can be overwhelming to be working and in grad school, so take time for yourself so you don’t burn out. It can be as small as taking a walk, calling a friend, watching a movie, working on a craft, etc.
General