With summative season fast approaching it is easy to feel daunted by the prospect of the hard times ahead of you, but here are some tips to try and help you emerge from the other side in one piece.
1. Don’t forget to relax
It can be easy to get so caught up in work and stress that you forget what it was like to just power down and relax for a bit. Try to make some time during your day to get away from work and do something you enjoy to help remind you that life is not just an endless spiral of increasingly scary deadlines. Whether you like to play sports, video games, read a book or even just binge a TV show taking some time out of work for yourself can be beneficial.
2. Get out and about
In a similar way to making time to relax, you can also try making time to get out of your room or the library or your duvet, and getting some fresh air. Many times I have found that a quick tootle about outside works wonders for shaking away any cobwebs which may have built up over a day in Billy B, allowing me to come back to my work a bit more refreshed. It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s free – it’s worth a try.
3. Talk to others, find a support network
Whether it’s your college friends, housemates or course buddies, speaking to others who are going through the same thing as you can really help. Regardless of whether you constructively talk through your essay or revision woes or just have a good old rant about them, reminding yourself that you are not the only one going through this can really help put things in perspective.
4. Try to eat and sleep well
Now I know this is easier said than done, especially if you’ve been slaving over an essay until the wee hours of the morning and all you want to eat is a pizza and a sandwich, followed by a whole jar of peanut butter spread on a kit kat. However, eating healthier and getting a decent night’s sleep can make you feel much better during times of stress. Even small changes like drinking more water or getting to bed just an hour earlier are things everyone can try to help themselves. But in spite of all this talk of healthy eating, I also find it helpful in times of stress to keep a quick and easy cake recipe in mind, such as this easy mug cake, for times when only the sweet squidge of a cake will do.
5. Seek out help if you need it
Lastly, don’t forget that if you are struggling to cope, there is no shame in seeking out some help. Be it from friends, family, tutors, lecturers or university councillors help is out there if you need it, and talking it through is better than battling on alone.