You may be realizing now that the semester is winding down. With a little less than 5 weeks left in the semester, you’re suddenly really busy real fast. Registration is here. That research paper that seemed like you had forever to write is now due next week. Your group members are finally contacting you to work on that group project assigned last month. And no thanks to Sandy professors are trying to 2 weeks worth of material into 1. To keep you from stressing follow these 5 simple ways that will help you make it through to the end of the semester.
1. Keep a planner. You may think you’ll be able to organize your busy schedule but sooner or later something will slip through. And you don’t want it to be that research paper worth 50 percent of your grade. Whether you keep track of different meetings and due dates on your phone or with an actual paper planner, you’ll be happy you did.
2. Get plenty of sleep! Yeah, it may seem like a good idea to study all night for that big test you just need to do well on, but that doesn’t mean it is. You need your shut eye to help you retain the info you’re studying. Also you don’t want to feel sluggish when taking the test or in your other classes. So stop burning that midnight oil and go to bed!
3. One thing at a time. I get it, you just feel like you accomplish more when multitasking but it has been shown that the brain has more difficulty processing multiple tasks rather than just one. So instead of updating twitter while writing your paper and making flash cards, stop. Focus on one task at a time. If you’re focusing on one thing at time you’ll be able to put greater effort into and complete it faster. In the end you’ll save yourself time AND your work will come out better.
4. Take a break. Even if you feel like you don’t even have time to break for dinner to complete all your work, you do. Constantly working will wear you out and eventually have you turning in poorly done work. And just because you’re breaking doesn’t mean you have to waste hours scrolling Reddit or Tumblr. Instead catch up on your favorite half hour comedy while eating dinner or go out and grab a holiday latte with a friend at your favorite coffee shop.
5. Eat healthy. Or at least try to. When you get stressed your body craves things to make it feel better: carbs and sugars and fats – oh my! While you may be thinking that a few candy bars aren’t going affect you, they will. The better you eat, the better your body feels. The better your body feels, the better you feel mentally. Eating food that’s not the best for you, won’t make you feel your best. So stop making those trips to the vending machines a daily habit and try to save your sweet tooth indulgence for something worth it.