Spring Quarter is bittersweet: freedom is right around the corner, yet you’re stuck daydreaming about your summer instead of studying. There are more events going on than in the winter and the Davis weather is, of course, exceptionally beautiful. You want to lie by the Rec Pool, but instead you’re stuck sitting inside attempting to study. You have a severe case of Spring Fever, but we have the treatments.
Do a bit of spring cleaning
Sometimes when your work environment is too messy or too “lived-in”, it can be a bit difficult to concentrate on studying. Set aside a few hours tomorrow to clean out your room. Get rid of all those old notes from earlier classes that you don’t need anymore. Organize your drawers and put all the pens and pencils lying around into a mug on your desk. Wipe your desk, vacuum your floor, clean your windows… make your place look fresh and new! A cleaner environment leads to a more efficient you.
Allow yourself to go out and have fun
Forcing yourself to constantly study can take away all of your motivation to actually get anything done. You think it’s good that you’re disciplining yourself, but too much discipline can cause that mental block, where you just end up staring at the same page of your textbook for twenty minutes, not processing a single word written. Taking breaks to go for a run, to the ARC, or share some laughs with friends are good ways to freshen up your brain. Do some activities you know will lift your mood and even make you feel more energized to go back to work, but try setting a timer so that you don’t procrastinate too long!
With proper time management, you will for sure be able to hit up those weekend parties all of your friends are talking about. Just make sure you use the time between your classes during the weekday efficiently to get your homework and studying done. Then, when you go out on Friday and Saturday night, you won’t feel guilty and will be able to fully enjoy your time out.
Get outside
Take a blanket, iced coffee, and your textbooks to the Quad or a shady spot in the Arboretum! You’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful weather, get your work done, and soak in some Vitamin D! Plus, biking through the Arboretum is never a bad experience.
Remind yourself why you’re here
After two quarters of working hard, you’re bound to feel burnt out by now in Spring Quarter. Refuel your motivation and willpower by reminding yourself why you’re here at UC Davis. Write down your biggest career goals, why you chose your major, and what you want to do with it. You want to be a doctor? Well you better study super hard for your chemistry exam if you one day want to help thousands of lives. Keep your goals in mind!