Your Bounce-Back Semester Starts Now: Executive Functioning 101 with Coach Krisler Bailey
If last semester didn’t go the way you hoped, take a breath. You’re not broken. You’re not behind. And you’re definitely not the only one.
One of the biggest myths about college is that everyone else has it figured out. In reality, almost everyone struggles at some point—it just shows up in different ways. Some students struggle academically. Others feel socially disconnected. Some look fine on the outside but feel overwhelmed by unstructured time, distractions, or burnout.
The good news? College is a skill set, not a personality trait. And skills can be learned.
In this episode of College Is Fine, Everything’s Fine, we talked with college professor and executive-functioning expert Krisler Bailey about how students can realistically reset after a rough semester—without relying on motivation, perfectionism, or “trying harder.”
Here’s what actually helps.
First: Normalize the Struggle
Struggling in college doesn’t mean you don’t belong there.
College is often the first time students:
Manage large amounts of unstructured time
Advocate for themselves with professors
Balance academics, social life, and independence
Learn how they actually study best
That learning curve is real. Some students adjust in weeks. Others take a semester—or longer. That’s normal.
Comparing yourself to people who look like they’re thriving rarely tells the full story. Everyone has a “hard bucket”—it just isn’t always visible.
Why Motivation Isn’t the Answer (and What Is)
A lot of students ask:
“How do I get more motivated?”
Here’s the honest answer: motivation fades. It’s unreliable. Waiting to feel motivated usually keeps you stuck.
What works better is discipline and habits—small, repeatable systems that carry you forward even when you don’t feel like it.
Think about it: you don’t scrub a toilet or show up to class because you’re inspired. You do it because it’s part of your routine. College works the same way.
Discipline doesn’t mean being miserable. It means building systems that make your life easier.
The Hidden Problem: Unstructured Time
One of the biggest challenges for college students is too much freedom.
You might have:
A class from 9–10
Another at noon
One later in the afternoon
That space in between can either become productive—or disappear completely.
A helpful reset starts with time blocking:
Decide when you’ll study, eat, rest, and socialize
Assign jobs to the empty hours instead of hoping they work themselves out
Plan realistically (not perfectly)
If you treated being a student like a 9–5 job and used that time well, you’d still have plenty of free time—and less guilt when you’re actually relaxing.
Distractions Aren’t Just a Willpower Problem
Phones aren’t just distractions—they’ve become emotional safety devices.
Many students keep their phones nearby even when they’re not using them. Just seeing it pulls attention away from the task at hand.
Instead of trying to eliminate distractions completely (which often backfires), try small boundaries:
Put your phone on Do Not Disturb for 15–30 minutes
Place it in another room while studying
Use app limits or accountability tools
Study with someone else present
The goal isn’t punishment—it’s reducing friction between you and focus.
Studying Smarter (Not Longer)
If your study strategy is rereading notes or highlighting everything, it feels productive—but it usually isn’t.
What actually works is engaging with the material:
Write summaries in your own words
Turn notes into questions and test yourself
Explain concepts out loud (even to yourself)
Study with classmates and quiz each other
Review soon after class instead of cramming later
Learning sticks when your brain has to do something with the information.
Also, don’t assume a class will be easy just because it sounds familiar or isn’t in your major. Many students get caught off guard by “intro” or core classes they underestimate.
Community Is Part of the Plan
Trying to do college alone—white-knuckling it—makes everything harder.
Community can look like:
Classmates in your major
Study partners
Friends who keep you accountable
Professors’ office hours
Tutors, writing centers, or academic coaches
Not every friend has to meet every need. You can have fun friends and academic support people. Expanding your circle doesn’t mean abandoning your current one.
Using support isn’t weakness—it’s strategy.
Your Reset Starts Small
You don’t need a total life overhaul to bounce back. Start by asking:
What was the hardest part of last semester?
What’s one system I could change?
Who could support me this semester?
Progress comes from small, repeatable steps—not dramatic resolutions.
Last semester doesn’t define you.
This one is a chance to build skills that last.
🎧 Listen to the full episode of College Is Fine, Everything’s Fine for practical strategies, real talk, and a reminder that you’re doing better than you think.
