With Easter break over, we are officially and inevitably in it for the long haul, folks. Chances are, you aren’t going home again unless you’re a South Bend native or have a family wedding. Those final papers and group projects that once seemed ages away are now suddenly demanding your attention. With only a month left to complete what still seems like a pretty full syllabus, it is easy to fall into full-blown panic mode.
However, as a senior trying to relish her last few weeks, I’m doing my best to fight that mentality. Though I’ve given into it for the past three years, I’m not willing to sacrifice what little time I have left at Saint Mary’s panicked and stressed about all that has to be done. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that there’s always time for homework (even if it means Sparknotes and being juuust under the word count). What won’t always be there, though, is the time you have as a Belle. Everyone says it, but as a senior looking her future after Saint Mary’s in the face (and still questioning what exactly it looks like), I can confirm that it’s true: time flies.
With that in mind, looking at the month ahead, I have nailed down a few things that I plan to use to help keep me grounded and fight the panic mode.
1. Using a planner
Whether you’ve got graduation ahead or not, the last few weeks of school never fail to be hectic for everyone. It can be difficult to keep all the last minute assignments, events, and meetings straight. Whether you’re a post-it notes and color-coordinated pens kind of gal or a scribble-in-barely-intelligible-handwriting person, find what works for you. I am someone who can never remember what’s going on during the week (and very prone to double-booking because of it), so I’ve started to make more of an effort to write things in my planner as I hear about them. The practice of quickly jotting down a time or place has done wonders for helping me to sort through the messiness of my mind.
2. George Ezra’s new album
Really, you can insert any album here that soothes you and provides you with a peaceful mindset (but I’d strongly suggest giving Staying at Tamara’s a listen, if you haven’t already). Personally, I think Ezra couldn’t have planned his album release better — it came just in time to get me through this last hectic month of school. I can’t help but close my eyes when I listen to his voice. When I feel the panic rising, I put in my headphones and let the deep tenor of his voice carry me to a calmer place.
3. Hazelnut coffee
I can hardly go without mentioning my primary source of fuel. Honestly, I’m not sure how I would have made it through these past four years without a Keurig. Though I’ve never owned one myself, I have been blessed enough to always have roommates who have. Sometimes, it’s the thought of a steaming mug of a hazelnut brew that gets me out of bed in the morning. Anticipating the late nights ahead, my roommate and I have stocked up on our K-cups so as to avoid any shortages. I am not ashamed to say that coffee is a necessary tool for keeping my cool. Whether you find your fix in coffee, tea, chocolate milk, or kombucha, use it as a motivator to keep pushing through or a soother to put you at ease in your stressful moments.
4. Daily detox time
Allowing yourself the time to step away from schoolwork and indulge in something that fulfills you rather than exhausts you is so important. While my usual source is Netflix, if I’ve already been staring at a laptop for hours, sometimes a better solution is found in closing my brightly lit screen and turning to other forms of distraction. In high school, I was an avid reader, but after coming to college, I felt like I didn’t have time to read for pleasure anymore. However, this semester, I’ve returned to that passion and started checking books out from the library’s “leisure reading” section (very well-stocked). Now, I find myself regretting all the books I failed to read these past few years. Did I mention that time flies?
Whether you look at it as the long haul or the home stretch, the semester is coming to an end and the last day will be here before we know it. In between the meetings and essays and finals, find ways to spend your time soaking in these last few weeks. Before you know it, you’ll be tossing your cap and saying goodbye for good!