The last few weeks of the spring semester feel brutal and never-ending. It’s post-midterm season, but also pre-finals season, and by this point in the semester, I feel burnt out with my classes. I’m just about ready to start a new set of courses.
The April weather (especially here in Boston) hasn’t made it much easier, as it’s been very cold and rainy with a few warm days here and there. At this point, the cold has overstayed its welcome (and as I write this, it’s snowing in Boston… what is going on?). Here are a few of my best pieces of advice to survive the final few weeks of the spring semester.
Stay on Top of Your Work
As we approach the end of the semester, it can be difficult to maintain the motivation to complete your work early on and avoid putting it off until the last minute. For your own sanity, procrastination is a bad idea! I recommend using a planner, notebook, or even just the Reminders app on your phone or computer to keep track of your assignments. This ensures you’re getting all your work done long before the deadline. Bonus points if you’re able to stagger your work so you can get a day off!Â
Despite the Cool Weather, Go Outside
Here in Boston, the weather is still pre-spring, and although we’ve had some warmer days, there have been lots of clouds, cold, and rain. This can make it hard to motivate yourself to go outside, but it’s important that you do, even with impending papers, projects, and final exams. Even if it means moving your study space to the outdoors or taking a 30-minute break for a walk around your campus, the change will be worth it.
Plan AheadÂ
The end of the semester means we have to start planning for the next one because it’s course registration time. Depending on which school you attend and what you study, it can be stressful to get the classes and professors you want. My best advice is to create a hypothetical schedule at least a few days in advance, and pick a backup section of each class, just in case the section you want is full by your registration time.
Finally, don’t miss your registration time. As someone very specific about their ideal schedule, I had three alarms set and sat in front of my computer 15 minutes ahead of my registration time, with a clock in front of me to ensure I could be as precise as possible.
April can feel like a gloomy month. Between upcoming finals and waiting for warmer weather, anticipation runs high. Unfortunately, we can’t change the incoming academic tasks or the weather, but we can stay ahead of our work and be sure to get some time outside, even in the cooler weather.Â
Don’t wait before it’s too late!
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