“Where did the semester go?”
“Did I turn that in already?”
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN FINALS ARE IN TWO WEEKS?!”
If you have thought or said any of the above aloud then congratulations! You have been overworked into a daze. You are not sure how it happened but one minute you were chill then the next you aren’t sure what that word means to you. But you are by no means alone.
Thanks to Hurricane Irma back in September, things have been…messy. Not only because of the semester being extended an extra week as a result, but the boatload of work piled on in the weeks that followed as professors scrambled to keep their syllabi on schedule. Sure, it’s great to still get what you came for when you signed up for the class and yet, is this madness over the last three months worth it?
You don’t even know who you are anymore. Just that the paper that was supposed to be due last week is due this week and everything in between.
Here are more signs that you have been too dang busy lately:
1. You don’t know what day it is anymore.
Was yesterday Monday? Or is today Monday? Who knows! Bonus: you know the days of the week by what is due when. The names have slipped your mind weeks ago.
2. What’s a steady sleep schedule?
You pass out where you can, when you can. You’ll be awake in an hour or two anyway.
3. Your permanent mood is “tired”.
Wake up? Tired. Post up? Tired? Riding ’round in this… nah, you’re too tired.
4. Your meals are coffee.
Just. Coffee.
5. Your desk at home is a mess.
You’ve probably tried cleaning it then kinda just accepted it for what it was. It’s ok.
6. Because of that, you just live in the local library or bookstore.
And why not? It’s quiet and you can get through work quickly so you can start… more work.
7. The thought of being done with school for the semester (or ever, if you’re graduating) is wild.
You are so out of touch with relaxation that it sounds alien. Impossible, even.
But! If any of the above sounds like you, then don’t worry. You are going to be okay and all your work will pay off before you know it.
In the meantime, try doing little things to relax. Actually take a break, unplug from your laptop and go outside. Spend time out with friends. Take up meditation, yoga, or pilates. Start weening yourself from coffee by incorporating food that can energize you naturally, without the aide of caffeine. Some yummy recipes for no-bake, high energy bites can be found here.
Still stressing about deadlines or struggling to ignore a gut feeling that you have something to do but you can’t quite remember it? Write it down. Not only is the reminder visible, but seeing the date etched out in front of you will help you get back on track to not only scheduling work, but also some much needed play and “me” time. Mostly every smart phone has a calender function to help with this but if you’re like me and like writing notes by hand, find a cute notebook that you know you’ll carry everywhere. Barnes and Noble has a lovely assortment of planners just for this (and look how pretty and practical they are).
Breathe in. Breathe out. You got this.
But please… take a break.