It’s that time again. The calm first few weeks of school are over and exams are starting to appear on your calendar right and left. Not only are your classes probably extremely stressful, but also taking exam #1 for any class always feels like going into uncharted territory. Here are some tips you should take when studying and feel yourself becoming overwhelmed:
Count to 10
Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and count to 10. This paper, or test, or whatever it may be that you’re working on is not worth damaging your health over. Just remember that you got this, and breathe. As corny as this piece of advice sounds, it works.
Take breaks
I know personally one of my biggest struggles is finding time to take breaks. I feel like if I walk away from what I’m working on, I won’t want to go back to it. While this is partially true, breaks are necessary. You won’t get the outcome that you want if you’re forcing yourself to continuously work because your mind won’t be able to focus on what you’re doing. On top of that, you’ll just be miserable. You need to be fair to yourself and give yourself 10-20 minutes to walk away from studying so you can come back to it putting your best foot forward.
Stretch
You probably remember being told to do this in elementary school whenever you were taking a major test. Well, I’m here to tell you, they didn’t tell you to do it for nothing. Get the blood flowing back to your brain by stretching your arms over the midline of your body to stimulate both halves of your mind. It’s almost like clicking the refresh button for brain activity.
Talk to someone
You’re not in this alone. I guarantee you that your friend or significant other is going through the same emotions that you are in college. When you’re sitting alone in the library or at your desk, it’s easy to feel like you must be the only one whose life doesn’t feel like it’s going the way you want it to. Get how you’re feeling off your chest. Talking to someone who is close to you is always a big stress reliever, and it will be a good reminder that everyone else is in the same boat as you.
Look at yourself in the mirror
No, seriously. Go to a mirror and look in it. That girl standing there is fully capable of doing anything she puts her mind to. That test, that project, that assignment, whatever, is not going to be the end of the world for you. You will get past it just like you’ve gotten past everything else that has gotten you to this point. Some things you’ll excel in, some things you’ll struggle in. College is life, and life has its ups and downs. But as long as you know inside that you are putting your best effort in, everything will work itself out.