Here we are. The home stretch of the semester. Now if I had to take a guess as to where you are standing at this point, I would probably guess it is somewhere around here:
As you sit in the deep depths of the library, already three coffees deep and it isn’t even 12pm, you can’t help but stare into your blank-paged laptop and think:
But before you resort to that option, here are a few tips to help you get through the next few weeks so you can come out on the other side looking like this:
1. Make a List
When you have a lot on your plate, it can be difficult keep everything straight when you have a million dates and assignments flying around your brain. Instead of trying to mentally keep track of it all, try sitting down and writing all of your assignments and upcoming exams out with their due dates next to them. This way, you can visually see what you have to do and cross it off as you go along. Believe it or not, but crossing of an assignment or getting past a big exam and being able to erase it from your list brings you so much relief and is a huge weight off of your shoulders.
2. Don’t Forget About You!
It doesn’t matter if you spend a week straight studying day and night for an upcoming exam. If you don’t properly take care of your body. This includes making sure you eat,stay hydrated and rest! I’ll be the first to admit that I am guilty of staying up until early in the morning to finish homework, so there is nothing wrong with laying down for an hour or so during the day and taking a power nap. Don’t feel guilty for sacrificing some study time for a naptime. If anything, your studying will be more productive and more effective if you are well rested. So throw on those sweats and jump into bed to prepare yourself for a night of productivity!
3. Find a Study Group
Misery loves company doesn’t it? So instead of sitting and isolating yourself to get all of your work done, why not get a group of friends to go to the library and study together? This way, you don’t feel so alone and you have people to relate to and help you when things get overwhelming. Walk into the library with all of your people behind you, acting like you own the place and setting camp at the biggest tablet you can find. Settle in and get your work done with your best friends. Who knows, it may make studying a little more enjoyable!
4. Prepare
Giving yourself time to prepare for your exams helps relieve some of the stress. Going into it blindly brings about more stress and second guessing. If you study for short periods of time over the course of a week or so, you will be more effective and more confident than if you try and cram at the last minute. So take 30 minutes a day to study and review and it will pay off in the long run!
5. Trust Yourself!
Have faith in all of your hard work with studying and everything will fall into place. Just remember that you are in college for a reason and that you belong here. Trust your brain and your preparation and the results of it will show through your grades.
Despite all of our preparation and out attempts, there will be times where we don’t come out on top. A bad grade on an assignment or an exam is not the end of the world. It will not keep you from getting your degree or from getting into the postgraduate school you are aiming for. Everyone has setbacks and we are all allowed to fail at some point. That is how we learn and how we grow. So the next time you start to stress, just remember that you will get to wherever you want to go in life and that everything will fall into place, just stay on the right path.