For uni students, December is quite possibly the most hectic month of the Fall semester. When December comes it brings holidays (and traveling), a LOT of snow and the worst of them all- final exams. During such a wild time of the year it can be too easy to forget to put yourself first, and TBH self-care is hard enough on a regular day without exams thrown into the mix. Neglecting your health will do much more harm than good, so making sure you’re healthy and feeling fresh every morning is the key to success. To stay on top of your self-care routine and keep feeling your best in the last stretch of the semester, here are some easy tips to relax and look after your health over the next few weeks.
1. Make a study plan
Studying for any subject can be overwhelming, so taking 20 minutes out of your day to list all the subjects you need to study for and how you want to study for them will save you a lot of headaches. There are so many ways you can do this, depending on what works for you! I really love to list out topics that will be on an exam and the most effective ways to study each of them, like mind maps or flash cards. Then I quickly make a daily schedule with each activity blocked into a part of the day. It’s up to how you learn best, but you can choose to give yourself a specific amount of time or just go for however long you can and then move onto the next item. Whatever ways you adapt your study plan with, having a concrete plan of what method and which topics you have to tackle can organize your life during exams and take away a lot of stress.
2. Stay on top of your exercise routine
It’s no secret that feel-good endorphins and serotonin are super effective at lowering stress and keeping you feeling your best, so make sure you make time every week to hit the gym. Even 45 minutes, 3 times a week is enough to get all the benefits of exercising and keep your stress down without compromising your study time. A quick swim, treadmill run for half an hour or a few reps of lifts is enough to get those positive feelings flowing and give you a boost of energy to go back to working hard without burnout later. Bonus: it will also help you to think better and focus more when you do hit the books again after your gym run.
3. Drink lots of water and eat well
Yes, skincare routines and yoga are great for your well-being, but self-care goes so beyond face masks and meditation: eating healthy food is the starting point of feeling capable and healthy in every way. If you don’t have time to meal prep during exam season, swapping out a fast food lunch a couple times a week for veggies and hummus or sauteed veg and rice is a great way to keep up your energy in a more wholesome way. Additionally, whole veggies and clean proteins are better food for focusing and critical thinking!
4. Keep in touch with friends
Putting yourself in a bubble with no social time is a gateway to emotional disaster during peak stress times, so even taking time to have a social study date will help you keep on top of difficult review and give you time to spend with friends and people you love. Planning a coffee date with a BFF where you help each other with your flash cards gives your brain a workout and helps you enjoy the company of someone who brings you positivity! Plus, study dates will help you both learn more than solo studying. Something as simple as a lunch run for half an hour will also keep you feeling light and happy, instead of heavy and stressed out.
5. Do something that makes you happy every day
Put aside 15 to 20 minutes a day and just do something you love. You could do a face mask or take a quick bath, draw something, do your makeup or paint your nails, watch Netflix- anything that makes you feel happy and relaxed. Taking breaks while you study is the best way to avoid burnout and stay focused, so as long as you do something that keeps your brain moving and give yourself time to do something that isn’t note-taking. This method of studying, called the Pomodoro technique to studying pros, is based off of the idea that mixing up your study routine keeps your brain focused and interested on whatever task you have to do.