Cooler weather is here, and midterms are coming up fast. This is the time of the semester when everything seems to happen at once, and a lot of collegiettes struggle with keeping their chins up. If you find yourself with a case of the midsemester blues, here are a few tips for getting yourself out of your rut.
1. Take Fall Break seriously
Southern Miss will have a Fall break on October 16 and 17. That means no classes, nothing due (we hope) and a four-day weekend for you to get out of town for a while. A change of scenery with your friends may be just what you need. Arrange a night out in New Orleans? Go visit your sister in Mobile? Sure! Do anything but school for four days; you’ll probably feel a lot better come that next Monday, as long as you’re not too hung over.
2. Take care of yourself
You don’t have to wait until next week to take a vacation. If you have an evening off, perhaps a night of hot tea, knitting, and Netflix is just what you need. Go to bed early and snooze until noon the next day. This will let your body rest and reset so you can ace those midterm exams. Remember that you are more important than your grades. If you’re losing your mind in an effort to educate it, you need to take a look at your priorities.
3. Talk it out
If you start to feel like this is more than just a temporary emotional setback, you should talk to someone. If your slump is more than just a slump, talk to a parent or trusted friend. You could also talk to mental health services on campus. No one can handle depression by themselves, and even the most gifted and devoted student needs help now and then. Your feelings could be influenced by a condition outside your control, like depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
A midsemester rut is a normal part of every collegiette’s fall. Hopefully, you can pull yourself out of it by taking care of yourself and trying to have some fun. Reach out to friends and family (and professionals if you need it) and you’ll be out of the dumps in no time.
Photo Credit: Luke Hayfield and Andry via Flickr