As we enter October, many of us have midterms coming up. Things are starting to pile up and managing school, work, and a social life, are getting increasing hard. The stress from this point in the semester can sometimes lead to, what I have termed, the Midterm Mental Meltdown. What is the Midterm Mental Meltdown, you ask? It is a short term bout of anxiety and depression caused by the four projects and three exams you have due next week. Unfortunately, your meltdown can make it harder to actually do everything you need to. Lucky for you, I have experience with this and have devised some ways to combat the effects of you Midterm Mental Meltdown.
Get ahead early
I know everyone likes to embrace syllabus week and take it easy, but that is the time to get a head start on the projects you know you will have. Many professors will put due dates for all readings, exams, papers, and projects on their syllabus. My advice is to start working on them as early as possible, so you aren’t scrambling when it’s due. This also allows you to take it a little easier when the semester picks up.
Get a planner and keep a to-do list
My planner is my life. I have all of my due dates written in it. One thing I find helpful when things start piling up is start a to-do list. This list will be a comprehensive list of everything I need to get done, which ends up looking very overwhelming. Then, I split it up so that I am only working on one or two things a day. Another tip for this is to split up everything you need to do into really small things. For example, split your paper into brainstorming, outlining, drafting, and revising. That way you can spread it out if you need to and it also makes you feel like you’ve accomplished more, giving you momentum to work on more things.
Take frequent breaks
I know it seems counter-intuitive to not do work while it’s piling up, but it is really important to give your brain a break. I would suggest, after completing something on your to-do list, take five minutes and play on your phone. After finishing something bigger, like completing a project or paper, maybe watch some Netflix. This way you don’t overload your brain, thus exacerbating your meltdown.
Call CAPS
CAPS is the Counseling and Psychological Services on campus. If things get really bad during your meltdown, like debilitating symptoms of anxiety and depression, you should go to them. You can make an appointment or, if it is more pressing, they have walk-in hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and a crisis hotline. There you can help you just talk things out and manage your stress. Remember, there is no shame in getting help.
College can be really challenging on its own. Add in balancing work and a social life and you have a recipe for disaster. Especially during this time in the semester, it is important to take care of yourself and you mental health. Take everything one step at a time, breath, and you will fine. You can do this.
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