With winter creeping closer and closer, it can be an exciting time as you are preparing for holidays or counting down the days toward winter break. Yet, it is also a huge wake-up call that we are in the homestretch of the semester. Planning accordingly for quizzes, papers, projects, and final exams is important as we progress past midterms. It is easy for December to feel burdened with stress, anxiety, and late nights of studying. It is extremely important to figure out ways to reduce that stress in order to get through the rest of the semester. Here are a few simple ways to ensure a smoother month when preparing for the end of the year.
Plan a weekly schedule
It is very easy to think about future deadlines, tests, and papers and choose to ignore them until it gets closer to their due date. With this type of mentality, it can become more difficult to focus on the huge piles of work when they are all due around the same time. With finals coming up, it is important to split the work you know you have due in a month into smaller sections to complete throughout the weeks. This helps reduce stress and prevents from partaking in all-nighter cramming sessions. If you choose to use a planner (a very good idea) and write down a certain amount of work you would like to get done in each class every day, it will feel less stressful at the end of the semester because work was done periodically throughout the month, instead of it being crammed into a weekend.
Balance out school work with hobbies
Of course, it is insanely important to indulge in one’s studies and school work, but it is also just as important to find activities that balance out the hard work. Having breaks in between doing work actually provides better studying habits. Having other things to fill the day besides homework, projects, and papers help reduce stress and anxiety. Bombarding yourself with loads of work all day will only leave you physically and mentally exhausted. Taking interest in a hiking club, musical ensemble, hanging out with friends, a campus job, going to the gym, listening to music, etc. are beneficial uses of time to give your brain a break. Allowing yourself to indulge in different activities and studies throughout the day is helpful to the brain in regards to how it retains information. Cramming, studying, or doing work for long periods of time can actually be harmful when trying to be successful. Having bursts of fun activity can erode some of the stressors and school anxieties carried on our shoulders throughout the day.
Meditation/Relaxation Periods
With all of the studying, writing, working, and activities going on throughout the week, a busy schedule can make everything seem overwhelming. In order to avoid stress and anxiety during these busy months, it is extremely important to take at least a few minutes a day to meditate or to just relax and take deep breaths in order to relieve some of the stress we feel on a daily basis. Anything from sitting in silence in your dorm, meditating, to taking a nap or doing breathing exercises is helpful and much-needed reflection time. Getting into the habit of incorporating some calm time daily, even just for a few minutes is crucial. Without taking a break from the pandemonium that is college, it can be extremely draining to continue. Thinking, reflecting, and making personal time is the key way to reduce stress and anxieties that prevail in the upcoming months.