Everyone knows that midterms can get stressful. Like at this moment, I’m thinking about my test on Friday and what homework I need to finish, and the last thing I’m thinking about is taking care of myself. Self-care is important and here are a few things you can do for yourself, especially during these stressful times!
1. Take a deep breath. Breathing helps calm you down and can let you take a second to be aware of everything around you. Breathing is one way you can bring your focus to studying, instead of all the stress around you.
2. Take a nap! Not having enough sleep can make your day or week even harder than it is already. While you could spend that time studying, taking that nap will refresh you and you can do a better job studying once you wake up.
3. Eat real food during every meal, and not just a snack or a granola bar. Take a break from working and studying and eat some real food! This will reenergize you and keep your energy up while studying later.
4. Go to bed at a reasonable time. Staying up super late cramming right before that exam may not be helpful because it leaves you tired and unable to focus, and it’s been proven that studying right before an exam isn’t an efficient way to learn information.
5. Finally, plan time for yourself and stick to it. Give yourself some real time to focusing on you. Whether that’s checking out and watching an episode of your favorite show, or surfing Instagram for a bit, take that time for you.
Happy relaxing and good luck on midterms!