Remember at the beginning of the semester when you said to yourself, “alright (insert your name here,) this is it. this is the semester I will get my life together. I’m not going to procrastinate and I’m going to start studying in advance for my finals.” Well, remember when that didn’t happen? As finals week inches closer, you realize you’re a week behind, and you have about 8 finals projects, papers, or presentations to prepare on top of your usual school work, and so you are forced to panic, stress eat, cry a little, and cram. And your task list feels like a run-on.
Ahhhh yes. The ancient undergraduate art of cramming, and the only art form that is discouraged by all accept energy drink companies and 24-hour coffee joints. But, it is inevitable, and so I have made a list of three great study break ideas you can do, to get you through you’re long nights without getting too distracted.
1. The Snack Break: At three O’clock in the morning, when you’re notes are starting to look like a different language and you can’t tell the difference between mitochondria and macroeconomics, take a break, and grab a snack. Hit up the vending machine and utilize you’re last few Eagle bucks with a bag of Smart Food or a Ramen Noodle. Brain food isn’t a myth. Just like coffee, food can reenergize you and keep you going. And for some healthy alternative study snacks, click here for some ideas.
2. The Yoga (Don’t let your neck) Break: if you’ve been sitting for hours in the same sleeping-butt position and you’re neck has been bent over your books in a ninety-degree angle, taking a break to breath and stretch is a good option for you. Embrace you’re inner yogi, clear your mind, and try to meditate for ten minutes or so. It’s a great alternative to a nap because you won’t accidentally PTFO, and you can even get some good yoga-pose-in-the-library Instagrams while you do it!
3. The Break Dance Break: This may sound odd, but a good dance break can really help you along with your studies. Just how exercise can allow you to focus, getting up on your feet to dance to a killer song can help you to focus, and wake you up. Turn on you’re favorite song, or a song you would so blast on the radio if you were cruising in a convertible, twerk for ten minutes, and shimmy your way back to you’re textbooks with ease.
Any of these study breaks are perfect, because they are quick, they are easy, and they energize you like a Duracell battery. And while these tricks are great, I would advice you not to take a break with candy crush or Netflix, because although you may say to your self you’ll just play one game or watch one episode, there’s no doubt you’ll play more than one game and you’ll watch more than one episode, and it’s also a good idea to take a break where you aren’t staring at a screen, so you can rest your eyes. So eat, stretch, and dance for your break, so you can cram your exam, and do the best on that test.
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