We’ve all finally finished that part of the semester where exams, papers and projects seem to completely take over our lives. I don’t know about everyone else, but for me, it felt like that busy time dragged on forever this year. Now, we can finally take some time to breathe before diving straight into finals. We’re all probably feeling pretty drained right now, so I’ve put together a list of a few tips to help you all get through this exhausting mid-semester slump.
1. Recharge
The most important thing you can do following one of the most stressful parts of the semester is rest. Some serious R&R is absolutely necessary after spending three weeks drowning in textbooks and lecture notes. The first and most important thing you can do is catch up on sleep. Now that you don’t need to stay up all night studying, you can actually take a night to put on your pajamas, relax with friends, and turn in early for a good night sleep. Once you’re feeling good and rested, there’s no reason to jump right back into a busy schedule. You deserve a couple of days to wear your comfortable clothes, catch up on your favorite TV shows, and chill with your friends.
2. Take care of you
Now that you’ve finished using all of your time to study and do homework, you have time to exercise again! I know that going to the gym might be the last thing on your mind, but after you finish a workout, I guarantee you’ll be feeling energized and balanced. If you’re really exhausted, you should ease back into your workout routine—no need to jump right into your most intense cardio, but going on a leisure jog or going to a yoga class will definitely bring you out of that stressed-out mindset. After exercising, you should take the time to cook (or buy) yourself a delicious and healthy meal. Getting a good workout, eating some good food, and taking some time to do something for yourself will bring you back to feeling happy, balanced, and stress-free.
3. Do something fun with friends.
Once you’ve had a chance to recharge and de-stress, you deserve to have a fun time with friends. After spending all of your time cooped up in the library preparing for papers and exams, you need to get out and let loose. Have a wine night with friends, go to happy hour on Friday afternoon, or go out for a crazy night in CP. If that’s not your style, find something fun to do in D.C. for the day and go out and do it with some of your favorite people! Whatever it is, you deserve to spoil yourself and have an awesome and carefree time.
I’ve already had the chance to do all of the above following my crazy weeks of exams and papers, so now it’s your turn! Take some time to think about something other than school, but try not to get too distracted—finals will be here before we know it!