The end of Fall is definitely bittersweet. Gone are our long, sunny days, and in comes the cooler weather, not so much in Miami, vacation plans, lots of food, holiday decorations, twinkling lights and… finals week.
If you’re like me, you can’t fully bask in the holiday cheer because you first have to get through the end of the semester. Never mind that college went from 0-100 in about a day, but a lot of us also have the added stress of having to pack up our dorms and arrange travel plans on top of everything else.
This end of semester survival guide is here to help make the last few weeks of Fall seem a little less daunting, and help you manage your stress levels.
First things first, make a plan. Create a list of all the projects, papers, exams and homework assignments you have left until the end of the semester and schedule your own due dates for them. Research has shown that we retain more when we space out our study sessions and switch between subjects. Schedule out your study sessions from now until the end of finals to make reviewing for your exams easier and so you don’t get caught up in the vicious cycle of cramming this semester. Usually, when we try to cram and finish all of our assignments at once, we tend to feel drained and we don’t produce our best work. Giving ourselves ample time to complete all our assignments will ensure we finish the semester strong!
If you’re one of the few that has to move out at the end of Fall, don’t wait until the last of week of class to start packing. Take the weekends and start packing your non-essential items like extra clothes, wall décor or the cute knick knacks you have floating around to make your space feel like home. Packing, just like studying, can be a major stressor and takes time. You can even make it fun by having your best friends help you clean out your closet Sex and the City style. You’ll be so happy you got a head start when moving day comes around and all your boxes are already at home waiting for you.
Finally, with all the stress you’re sure to be under, remember to take some time for yourself. Devote one night a week to something you love, whether it’s catching a movie with your friends, dinner with your SO or just taking a long, hot bath and catching up on your favorite TV show. It’s easy to burn out when we’re under so much pressure so it’s really important that we treat ourselves every so often for all the hard work and hours we’re putting in.
Overall, no matter how we look at it, the end of the semester is going to be hectic, but we can definitely make the process easier on ourselves. When you’re in the midst of your cram sessions, try to remember that everything will get done and when it’s over, you’ll have one more semester under your belt, which means you’ll be one step closer to graduation.