As the semester drones on, people start to feel dread as the work is quickly piling up. Before we know it, it will be Thanksgiving break, and there are only a few weeks left in the semester.
To prepare for the end of the semester and the inevitable increasing workload, here are some tips to stay on top of your work while still taking care of yourself.
- sleep
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Make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Sleep is one of the most important tip I can give. Without proper sleep, you will feel behind, whether in class, with your friends or yourself.
- skincare
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Keep up with your skincare, even if you’re just washing your face and putting lotion on. Anything helps. Keep up your regular routine, and I promise you will start to feel better every day.
Do small things every day that make you happy. For me, I take time out of my day to eat dinner and watch a show that makes me happy.
I also like to spend time talking to my roommates; we’re all going through the same things, so it helps to laugh together or just vent about the day.
- Change up your daily routine
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Maybe change up your daily routine. I know it’s good to stay on a routine, but if you need a change of scenery, then do your homework in a different building or part of the library that you don’t usually sit in.
If you feel like you’re not being productive, it can help just to switch up the setting.
Make sure you’re still seeing your friends. It can be isolating when you have a lot of work to do. You might feel like you have to sit alone and get all your work done before you do anything else.
However, balancing work and life is healthier. I find that I am more productive when I have a good balance.
- Turn on your favorite music
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Listen to your favorite music. Listening to my current favorites while walking to my class, even if it’s just for 10 minutes, helps me decompress and is a nice break from staring at my computer or reading that textbook.
- Take care of your health
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Don’t forget to take care of your health. Take those vitamins, eat three meals a day and drink water.
This goes with getting enough sleep; you can’t do your best work as a student if you are sick, so it’s best to stay on top of it.
- Call your family
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Sometimes it feels good to talk to someone who isn’t in your situation or town. I know I like to talk to my sister because she doesn’t live in State College and has a full-time job, so we’re in entirely different situations.
It’s nice to talk about things unrelated to school or life in State College.
- Know your due dates
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Ensure you know all the due dates for your assignments and make sure they are in your planner.
It seems simple, but sometimes professors change due dates on the syllabus, so it’s always good to check it every once in a while.
These are all pretty generic tips on how to stay on top of your life, but sometimes I need these little reminders, so maybe you do too!