With the second wave of midterms in full swing, it’s easy to get stressed out about everything you have to do in such a short amount of time. Stress, of course, leads many people to procrastination. Procrastination is pretty much inevitable—you might as well make it productive, right? Go ahead and close out of Facebook and put your phone away. Here are four ways you can distract yourself from studying without regretting it later.
1. Clean!
Is your laundry piling up with clothes all over your floor? Maybe your closet isn’t as organized as it should be? That’s a sign that you need to start cleaning, my friend. There’s probably always something you could do to make your room a little cleaner—for instance, when was the last time you dusted or vacuumed? If you take the time to do it now, you’ll be able to study in peace without it sitting in the back of your mind.
2. Create your perfect study playlist
Can’t study in complete silence? Open Spotify and find the perfect playlist to get you through anything from the Orgo test you aren’t prepared for to that Sociology essay you haven’t started writing yet. You could either find a pre-made playlist, or make your own if you really feel like procrastinating. Sure, before you know it an hour may have gone by…but at least you’ll have the perfect soundtrack to get you through that all-nighter!
3. Search for internships/jobs
Something else is probably on your mind: your summer plans. Why not apply to more internships/jobs? Surf the listings on Eagle Ops or find other opportunities by Googling your favorite companies. It’s probably not what you should be doing now…but at least this saves you from worrying about it later!
4. Call your parents
Most of us probably don’t talk to our parents enough. Your schedules are different and things come up…it can be hard to find a few minutes to talk to your family. However, it isn’t too late at night, take some time to call or Skype—not text—your parents. Believe it or not, they miss you and they’ll really appreciate you taking the time to talk to them. Besides, if you’re stressed, just talk to them about it—they might have some valuable advice that will make you feel better about all the work you have to do.
Now you can productively procrastinate like a pro. Hopefully you won’t end up doing all four of these things before you start studying! If you keep in mind that you’ll be eating delicious Thanksgiving food and going Black Friday shopping in just one short month, these midterms will be over before you know it. Happy studying!