Coping with Deadlines!
It’s hit that point in the semester; you finish one assessment, take a breath and before you know it five more deadlines hit you in the face. You finish one only to begin another. It’s easy to become overwhelmed when you have so many deadlines hanging over you, so here are some of HC’s best tips on how to deal with the stress.
1)Organise Your Time
One of the biggest stresses when it comes to reaching deadlines is that we didn’t organise our time properly. So many of us have part-time jobs to keep us in food, rent and extra-curriculars such as sports, societies, volunteering, etc. – it’s hard to keep track of the free time we do have! Two of my best investments since coming to university have simply been a weekly planner, and a diary (I’d recommend an academic diary so you’re not wasting months when you’re not in University!). At the start of the semester mark down all your assessment dates in your diary, and maybe even a ‘one week warning’ to give yourself time. The weekly planner also comes in handy for seeing what your week is like, and what slots you have free to study. Every Sunday night try and go through your weekly planner, noting down the things you have planned for the week and when you’ll be free to do your work.
2)Comfort Food
When it comes to chugging out a 3000 word essay nothing aids me more than the help and support from my self-confessed comfort foods. This all depends on your personal preference; whether it be a tube of Pringles, a bag of Haribos, or the more sensible power snacks like bananas, broccoli or pumpkin seeds, we all have our favourites! In fact, some snacks have been scientifically proven to help improve our ability to study. Check out Buzzfeed’s 17 Power Snacks for Studying for some very tasty ideas!: https://www.buzzfeed.com/tashweenali/snacks-for-studying?utm_term=.ahBnOlvNo#.dg16bBk8L
Water is also an excellent thing to have while studying, it keeps you alert and focused. (and lets not forget, coffee. Lots of coffee)
3)Take Breaks
As much as I would love it to, this doesn’t mean one paragraph followed by one show on Netflix (although we’ve got to admit, this does often happen…). According to many studies, the most effective way to study is 50 minutes of concentration and 10 minutes rest. Grab yourself a drink, get some fresh air before returning to your work with renewed focus.
4)Don’t Stress
And above all, your age old motherly advice… Don’t stress yourself and don’t get yourself worked up. Take a breather, and relax. Studying may be important, but it’s not the most important thing in the world so don’t forget to look after yourself.
We hope our studying tips get aid you through your deadlines, or at least the Pringles do anyway!