Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Spring Break is officially behind us, and even worse: the worst part of the semester is here. Say good bye to the sun-tanning, relaxing, hanging out with friends, fun activities from last week… and reintroduce yourself to the books, papers, studying, and eventuallly FINALS! (ahhh!).
Spring is considered to be a rebirth… a fresh start… and a chance to make things good and new again. “Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world” -Virgil Kraft. I don’t know about anyone else, maybe my feelings are rested in the fact that I had an orgo exam yesterday, but so far I haven’t been able to feel much of this since being back to school. Even though the weather was pretty nice and it was good to see friends again, I feel like I’ve fallen into an awful mid-semester slump. Here are 6 tips to survive (maybe even thrive) the rest of the semester, and get out of your own slump!
1. Stay Organized and On Top of Work
It is even easier now to push work off and down weigh your responsibilities. It is important to keep an updated calendar/agenda that has all of your assignments, exams, finals, and any events you may have coming up. By keeping organized you can stay ahead and know exactly what you have to do with your day. Honestly this has been the biggest struggle for me over the years, but I can truly attest that organization is key to a successful semester.
2. Be Healthy
Never underestimate how amazing a good night’s sleep can be… it can greatly influence your mood and ability to have a full productive day. Also make sure to eat healthy (as healthy as you can at school anyway) because this will also help you to just feel better and have a better mindset throughout the rest of the semester. I also strongly reccomend that everyone does something to get them moving… if you can’t exercise in a gym (I know I personally don’t like it) play a pick-up game with some friends or go for a run… you would be suprised by how much this will help.
3. Let yourself have fun
It is so easy to be consumed by the amount of things you have due or exams you have coming up, but you have to do more than just work all day. It is extremely important to let yourself have fun and get your mind off of things. (Note: back to #1, don’t let this turn into whole-day procrastination) Study breaks can be the boost you need to finish. Whether you do something with friends, read, get one of those amazing adult coloring books, or watch a little tv… you can spare 30 minutes for something!
4. Think Positively
Nothing makes your slump worse than having a negative attitude. If you give up now it will only get worse by May. Remember why you’re here, what your goals are, and use that “why” to motivate yourself through the rest of the stress and work you have to endure. Do not let yourself give up…
5. Have a good Support Group
Yes, it is important to have your home support group… but it is so much more important to have people you can turn to at school! Have a group of friends that you can study and do work with, especially for bigger or harder classes. Friends will not only help improve your mindset but you can keep eachother motivated to get through the rest of the semester, you can help eachother with work, and you can understand eachothers struggles! I honestly don’t know if I would be surviving organic chemistry if it wasn’t for my study/support group, we definitely pull eachother through!
6. Get Outside!
Every day will not be perfect for this, but it is so important to get outside and enjoy nice weather. Especially here in Rochester, we have all been extremely deprived of vitamin D lately… so go out and soak it up when you can. Whether you study on the quad, or take the “scenic route” to class, make sure you find time to get some fresh air.
A good note to end on… we are over halfway to summer vacation! Do what you have to now and pull yourself through the homestretch, rather than miss spring break, and then you can enjoy the better longer summer ahead!