It’s that time in the semester again: it’s the time when you realize that there are only two weeks until Thanksgiving Break, three weeks before we start finals…the time when it’s impossible to think of anything else besides how little time there is left to redeem or solidify your grades. If you are feeling the stress, here are some do’s and don’t’s of coping with it:
DO’S:
1. Exercise
Exercise is a great way to relax when you’re feeling overwhelmed. This doesn’t mean you have to go on a 5-mile run followed by maxing out on bench press, but take a 10-minute walk outside to clear your head and get your legs moving.
2. Take Breaks
It takes a special person to be able to work for 8 hours straight without needing a mental break, so don’t stress yourself out trying to do so! A short episode of The Office is a great way to mentally decompress after overloading on school work.
3. Treat Yourself
Make goals and reward yourself for achieving them. I like to reward myself in the form of food, such as a piece of chocolate when I finish a reviewing a section of biology.
4. Get Enough Sleep (or take naps)
It’s not easy to study when you’re sleep deprived. Instead of pulling an all-nighter, go to bed by midnight and wake up early the next morning to study, because the sleep you get when you go to bed after midnight is not as restful. But, if you insist, make sure you at least recover with a nap the next day.
5. Stay Focused
It’s so easy to get distracted when your phone is sitting in front of you. The mantra of “out of sight, out of mind” is very true! Keep your phone in your bag or in your room so you won’t feel the temptation.
6. Create Achievable Goals
As much as we want to believe we are super-humans and can successfully study five chapters of bio in one night, it’s just not true. By being unrealistic, you may become easily overwhelmed or distracted. If you set achievable goals, reaching them might make you feel even more motivated!
DON’TS:
1. Binge Eat Junk Food, or Skip Meals
This is so easy to do when you are too worried about studying, but keep in mind that eating that whole pizza is not going to feel so good in about 30 minutes. But also make sure you are eating because you need some sort of energy (or you will just crash).
2. Waste Time On Your Phone
Use your phone for an occasional mental break, because as much as you think you can take a minute on your phone and return to studying, it’s likely that this will turn into a 30-minute distraction that will only put you further behind in your work.
3. Drink Too Much Coffee
I love my coffee as much as the next person. I will admit that I am guilty of drinking way too much of it, but being wired from coffee will just make you jittery and lead to difficulty in concentrating if you overdo it.
As finals are nearing, you may find yourself stressing out, but keep in mind these do’s and don’ts to make the final weeks of the semester more bearable.