The most wonderful time of the year is right around the corner (aka CHRISTMAS BREAK!!!). However, there is still the dreaded season of November to get through before everyone is able to fully enjoy the holiday season. November is when the weather starts to get cold and just about every university student is stressing over the last of their midterms, assignments and upcoming exams to study for. It is around this time of the year when emotions run high, sleep runs low and students crack under the pressure of all of the school work that has to be done before the semester ends. If you’re on the brink of a breakdown or just stressed to the point of insanity, don’t worry, we’ve all been there! Here are 10 tips to help keep you motivated and in one piece this semester:
1. Stay organized
Staying organized will definitely be a big help for you to stay on top of your game this semester. Whether its having an agenda to keep your activities and thoughts in order, or having a clean and organized room and workspace everyday, keeping yourself in check when it comes to organization will help you focus more on things like studying for exams or checking off important things on your to-do list.
2. Keep up with healthy habits
Keeping up with habits such as eating healthy foods, staying active, keeping up with hygiene and just taking care of yourself and your health is crucial, especially during this time of year. You need fuel in your body and a good mindset in order to function and be able to keep up with all the demanding school tasks. Don’t let all-nighters and constant studying stop you from keeping up with a healthy lifestyle.
3. Plan ahead
Leaving all of your assignments and studying till the last minute can be a sure way to cause stress and anxiety. Plan your schedule ahead of time so that you’re not scrambling to get things done last minute. This way you’ll have more time to do other things that you actually enjoy and you won’t be so stressed out about getting things done.
4. Set daily goals
Making daily to-do lists and having a plan for what you want to get done for the day, is a great way to ensure you accomplish goals and get things done. Setting goals for certain parts of an assignment that you will get done today, will help you slowly accomplish that dreaded end of the term paper that you have to do, one day at a time!
5. Talk it out
Sometimes when we’re feeling stressed out and bothered, the best thing to do is to call a close friend, your significant other, your mom, or whoever will listen, and just talk out our problems. Venting out all of your frustrations and just talking out your problems, is a great way to de-stress and keep you from breaking down.
6. Take a break
Studying 24/7 can be really draining and can leave you feeling like your brain is slowly melting away. Take a short break and relax for a bit. Whether its going out for coffee with a friend, playing a game on your phone, checking Facebook, or reading a book, you will come back feeling re-energized and ready to get to work again.
7. Get enough sleep
Sleep is a very necessary part of everyone’s daily routine. You need enough sleep in order to function during the day, especially if you’re going to be using your brain and thinking constantly. According to the University of Saskatchewan, most adults need approximately 8 hours of sleep, which will make the other 16 hours that you’re awake much easier, especially if you are a student. If you get a good night’s rest, you’re sure to be able to think clearly and truly take on the day!
8. Breakdown, it’s ok!
It happens to the best of us! Sometimes breaking down is necessary in order to get back up. So go ahead and cry if you need to. Let it out and then let go of all of that negative pent up energy and get back on track. You’ll find it a lot easier to carry on with what you have to get done, once you’ve blown off some steam.
9. Think bigger picture
Whether you’re stressing about school or other things going on in your life, try to think about the bigger picture. In the grand scheme of things, is what you are stressing about really going to affect you five years from now? The important thing to do is to try your best in anything you do and hope that things work out. Think about that diploma and the sweet feeling of graduating to keep ya going!
10. Stay positive
Finally, one of the most important things to do in times of struggle is to stay positive. A negative outlook on things can really dampen your mood and make your situation worse than it seems. Think positive thoughts.
You can do this!