We all know the two weeks between Thanksgiving break and winter break are some of the most stressful and tiring weeks of the school year.
Everyone is ready to be done, but alas, we have finals.
I am lucky this year because I only have one final exam. My other classes are group projects, which is great because I get to leave school earlier. But I need to find time to collaborate with people from four different classes in the next two weeks, on top of other school work.
So coming up with things to keep myself sane these next few weeks is a must.
- self care
-
I am always an advocate for self-care. My night routine usually takes about 30-45 minutes because I like to watch a show or listen to music and unwind from the day slowly. For me, this gives me time to relax when I’m not on my phone and I’m solely focusing on myself.
During a crazy time, like finals, my night routine admittedly gets longer than it already is.
I love taking a bath with Epsom salt which helps my whole body relax because we are all probably struggling with bad posture from being hunched over our computers all day.
When I have time I also do a face mask. Face masks might be more common for some people, but I like to save them for “special occasions” or when I feel the need to take extra care of myself.
During stressful times, I also like to treat myself to coffee instead of making it.
I try my best not to buy coffee every day because it gets expensive, but during busy times it’s easier and makes me happier to buy coffee.
- Spend time with friends
-
It’s easy to say no to hanging out with friends when you’re busy and need to study, but it’s important to take breaks so you don’t burn yourself out.
You definitely don’t need to go out or stay out late. Just getting lunch if you and a friend are on campus at the same time can be super refreshing.
It’s easy to get in your head and feel like you’re the only person who is stressed right now. Personally, hearing about what other people are doing and how busy they are motivates me by knowing that everyone is going through the same things.
It’s also great to make time to see friends before the break because you likely won’t see them for a month or so unless you live close together.
- planning my work
-
When I have a lot to do and little time, I will plan out a schedule for however far ahead I need to. In this case, I will be planning out my next two weeks’ worth of work.
This helps me visualize what I have to do, and when it needs to be done. I often get overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do which makes me procrastinate more because I don’t know where to start.
I try and plan my work so that I’m done by the evening most days so I have time to make myself a good dinner and relax to get ready for the next day.
Of course, this doesn’t always pan out the way I intend, but having a clear plan in place usually helps take some stress off.
Good luck these next few weeks, and remember you are not alone in your stress!