It’s April, and everybody knows what that means: summer is upon us!! We’re only one month away from freedom, meaning late mornings, beach days, and warm nights are soon to come. Unfortunately, we still have a month of exams, essays, and overall chaos to deal with before we can partake in any of those marvelous activities, so how do we survive it?
1. Make a study plan now
Perhaps there’s only one midterm left before the final, or maybe it’s even in the final stretch with only one project left, but regardless, that’s no reason to put off doing work until then. We’ve all been there—the night before a test, coffee cups and Red Bull cans littered around the desk, attempting to master an entire subject field in less that four hours. It’s not pretty. In those moments, it’s so easy to see how studying ahead of time would’ve been the way to go, so channel those past mistakes, and start planning now!
2. Get outside
North Carolina in the Spring is absolutely beautiful, so get outside, take a stroll through the gardens, hike through Eno, or even just set up a blanket on the Main Quad for a picnic. Breathe in the fresh air, and take in the sunlight. You deserve it!
3. Don’t forget anything
Scholarship forms, Duke Engage papers, FAFSA, class registration—the list of things due in the next month goes on and on. Be sure to stay on top of out-of-class due dates as well as in-class ones!
4. Use your time wisely
It’s easy to get in the sophomore slump, or to get a bad case of senioritis, but there’s still a full month to go. Remember that your time is valuable, and if balanced well, both formals and finals can be successful.
5. Relax
Don’t forget to take some time to have fun now and again. It can be stressful with everything that April holds, but sometimes a study break, movie night, or just some good old me-time is all that’s needed to finish strong!