Rejoice, college students! Thanksgiving, a holiday loved by many of us because it’s probably the first home-cooked, non-dining hall or fast food meal we’ve had in a while, has come and gone. But, what’s next on our agenda?
For me at least, the next couple of weeks are going to be a blur. It’s a combo of Christmas, New Year’s, visiting relatives, and worst of all, finals. So, here’s a couple of tips on how to survive the coming weeks with our anxieties at a (somewhat!) low.
FINALS
There’s a weird rip in the spacetime continuum that exists on college campuses in between Thanksgiving break and winter break: finals week.
It’s a time when professors start throwing multiple assignments at you, papers are due, and the library transforms into the social spot to be.
At the end of the day it is still important to find a study-life balance, and that includes knowing when and when not to stay locked in. Burnout is a real thing, so here are a few of my studying methods that keep me in check.
- Breaking down your agenda.
It can be easy to see the bunch of assignments coming your way and be overwhelmed, especially if many are final projects or essays. The best way to go about this is to take some time early on and break down these bigger assignments into smaller blocks.
For example, if you’ve got a presentation, try to do a slide or two a day up until the week it is due, then spend the rest of your time practicing! In between working on slides, crack out a rough draft of an essay or work through a few paragraphs at a time. It’s completely ok to not finish an assignment in one sitting!
- 3-3-30, But Make it Study
The Pomodoro Technique, as it is formally known, is a method of studying that breaks up your studying into more effective chunks of time.
You start by choosing how long you want to study for. Personally, I go for a good three to four hours. Then, set a timer for 25 minutes and study through that. These 25 minute blocks are called pomodoros. At the end of the 25 minutes, you then take a five minute break. This is a good little break to stretch or grab a coffee. Rinse and repeat until you’ve reached four pomodoros, where you’ll then take a 20 minute brain break. If you’ve still got time left over, you can repeat your rotations.
- Sleep!
Self-explanatory, but yes, a good night’s sleep or even just a power-boosting nap can really keep you energized and alert for finals. Studying through the whole night before an exam might net you a few more hours to cram, but leaves you exhausted when it’s time to put pen to paper. Plus, it’s important to know when to put yourself first and tuck in for the night.
Mindfulness
As we get closer to the end of the year, it’s important to look back on how far we’ve come and grown. More than just helping us decide on a New Year’s Resolution, it’s important to celebrate our achievements throughout the year and highlight what we want to grow from. Personally, my type-A brain loves to chart out a timeline of my year, my highs and lows, and make a game plan for the next year.
Other ways to practice mindfulness and to prep for the next year include daily journaling, writing a gratitude list, meditation, and most importantly, being present in the moment.
The Holidays
While the holidays can be a time for fun, for me, at least, shopping for presents and dealing with certain noisy relatives can be a complete drain on my spirit. So here’s a few tips on how to get through it.
- Online Shops are Your Best Friend.
Presents. Everyone wants them, it’s a pain to go and get them. Cramped stores, fighting over toys, and rushing to get just this last thing before they close? Nightmare, if you ask me.
A quick fix for this are online shops. No line to sit in, just click and buy. No worrying about if you forgot this one person’s gift, add their present to a wishlist or leave it in your cart. Plus, it’s easier to stick to a budget when you can see the prices adding up in my cart instead of mental mathing your way through a physical store.
- Respect is Earned, Not Given
The dinner table during the holidays can at times be an invasive or energy draining place to be. It can be grating to hear distant relatives constantly ask “How’s your degree going?” or “Do you have a boyfriend?”, or worse, the dreaded political conspiracies of your dear, aunt Karen.
My best tips? Just walk away.
If you’ve already tried setting up boundaries and they just keep being ignored, the next best step is to remove yourself from a negative environment or change the subject. Excuse yourself from the table, step out for some fresh air, or talk about the latest episode of Vanderpump Rules, anything except your boundaries being crossed.
Just Breathe!
If you’re cooped up with relatives, snowed in, or the words of your textbook are starting to blur together, remember to take a step back and take a deep breath.
