As the end of the semester approaches, many students like myself can start to feel unmotivated. The warm summer weather begins, and the thought of doing any more assignments just sounds exhausting. Here are some of my tips and tricks to avoid the end of the semester burnout:
- do homework outside
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I have noticed that when the weather is warm outside, I tend to want to be in the fresh air and soak up the sun. When I do homework outside, I find it really beneficial to satisfy my need of being outdoors while staying productive on my assignments. UMass is mostly cold for a few months, and I noticed that I am not super productive doing homework in my room 24/7.
- Space out your assignments
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This may seem obvious, but I am sure we have all had moments of procrastination when completing assignments. As the semester winds down, you may have fewer assignments to complete, or, if you have a lot of essays or projects, it is important to space out your work so that you do not become overwhelmed. The last thing you want to do is rush through your final assignments that are worth a good portion of your final grade.
- exercise
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For myself, I noticed that when I exercise around twice a week, my mental and physical health is in better shape. Even going to the gym with friends can be fun, such as signing up for exercise classes at the Rec Center! I am in a women’s workout club here at UMass called CHAARG, and I love meeting new friends while staying fit! I have found that if I am being lazy all of the time, I am more likely to feel the effects of academic burnout and social isolation.
- spend time with your friends
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Another obvious, yet important point, is to make sure your academic life is balanced with a social life! I really found that hanging out with the right group of friends is really what the college experience is all about! In my own experience, having fun with “your kind of people” is the best feeling! And when it is time to switch back to doing homework, I am able to focus better because I have satisfied my need to socialize, which allows me to focus on homework again knowing I have that need met.
- explore off-campus activities
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I have found that with the semester wrapping up, I can get sick of being on campus all of the time. I have recently gone to explore Northampton with my friends and we got brunch at Roost. We also went shopping at Urban Outfitters too! I realized that when I have the opportunity to explore off-campus areas, I feel less trapped being at college as the semester winds down. I think it is a really great way to stay motivated to push through the end of the semester!
I hope you all can resonate with these tips and tricks! Please give these a shot if you’re experiencing end-of-semester burnout! I love being able to share my personal experiences to help others!
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