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The College Girl’s Guide To Surviving The Last 3 Weeks of the Semester

Miranda Lenning Student Contributor, St. Bonaventure University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

The final few weeks of the academic term are an entirely new experience. All assignments, examinations, and projects happen simultaneously, while the motivation present during the start of the semester has long since disappeared. In this phase, it is more realistic to try to get everything completed than to maintain the efficiency one may have had before. If you find yourself struggling with this part of the academic term, know that you are far from alone.

It will help you to quickly come to terms with the idea that it will be unlikely for you to have a sudden burst of productivity. Sitting around waiting for this to happen will only increase your stress levels. Rather, you should try to get things done despite feeling unmotivated. While your efforts may lack perfection, simply completing the tasks will suffice.

Not all assignments are of equal value; some are of great significance. Concentrate on such projects and do not spend too much time on assignments of lesser importance. It is all right to do poorly on minor assignments because you are now required to study smart rather than hard. It will save you lots of trouble in the long run.

As weird as it may sound, creating a conducive atmosphere may actually improve your performance considerably. This may range from having a cup of coffee, playing some soft music, or even cleaning up your space before studying. You don’t have to go out of your way; just do anything that makes the process more enjoyable.

All-nighters may seem like a good choice at the moment, but the truth is, they only serve to exacerbate any existing problems. When one does not get enough sleep, their concentration span becomes very poor, and even simple tasks take much longer to finish. Try to sleep, if possible, because lack of sufficient sleep is extremely counterproductive.

What is helping me survive during this phase of the semester is the knowledge that there are very few days left in school. Whether I’m looking forward to going home or even just having some free time away from homework, having a goal helps tremendously in making it bearable. Any plan, such as relaxing with your friends, will be able to motivate you enough to carry on.

Even though it seems like everyone else is fine, they aren’t. Everyone is stressed out and overwhelmed, as well. You are definitely not behind; you are at the same level as everyone else. Somehow, everyone always manages to make it through another semester.

The final few weeks of school are always hectic, but nothing lasts forever. No matter how crazy life may seem at the moment, you will be able to overcome anything. Right now, the most important thing is that you do your best.

Miranda is a member of the St. Bonaventure Her Campus chapter. She writes about lifestyle, campus, and pop culture, aiming to create content that is fun and that others can identify with. As a writer, she hopes to provide alternative perspectives, inspire her fellow students' creativity, and help the chapter continue to grow and thrive on campus.

Miranda is a sophomore at St. Bonaventure University, studying accounting. She participates on campus beyond Her Campus, such as Student Government (SGA), Empower, SPCA, and Enactus. Through being active, doors have been opened to have new experiences, build leadership skills, and be an energetic positive influence among the Bona community.

Outside of school, Miranda can usually be found with her headphones in, a book in her hand, or catching up on some much-needed sleep. She loves finding new music to obsess over, getting lost in stories, and unapologetically embracing her love of naps.