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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UPR chapter.


With the end of the semester approaching, things have definitely gotten a bit more stressful. Deadlines are piling up, back-to-back exams keep getting announced, and you find yourself cramming the day before and feeling overwhelmed with all the things you have yet to do for the day. It’s not a surprise that a student’s mental health usually declines around this time of the year. I mean, you’re probably not getting enough sleep, enough breaks, or enough hydration/nutrition. Although it might often seem impossible to schedule a bit of time for oneself nowadays, the reality of the matter is that it is vital. I was once a person who would lose sleep over studying for exams or forget to eat meals because I was too busy finishing some essay. At the end of the day, I would ask myself: Was it really worth it? And the answer, undoubtedly, would be no. So, here I propose 10 strategies you can incorporate into your daily life to make these final weeks a bit more bearable (You can also do these things throughout the year!).

  1. Take breaks 

This might seem like a no-brainer and it honestly is, but take a break once in a while. I’ve come to realize that staring into a screen for 3 hours straight isn’t really effective when you’re actually too tired and bored to retain anything. The key lies in learning how to recognize those moments in which you feel you cannot go on studying, or you’re starting to notice that you’re not absorbing info as well and take a short 5 to 10-minute break. Get up, get some water, stretch, watch a short YouTube video, or just lay down and take some deep breaths. Whatever you do, just retreat from the screen. 

  1. Social media detox

I know we’ve heard this one a million times, but this tip right here is a game-changer. I’ve personally deleted Twitter and Snapchat and it has done so much for my mental health. It has helped me not to compare my life and my appearance with that of others, not to mention it has lowered my feelings of FOMO by a long shot. From scrolling on my phone for hours at a time, I’ve considerably lowered my phone usage and I’ve noticed it has improved both my mood and self-confidence. An added bonus is also just learning to put your phone somewhere else and sit down to do some work. 

  1. Exercise 

It has been proven that regular exercise can improve your mood. The good thing is that it doesn’t even have to be a long and strenuous exercise routine. Just 20 minutes of walking or 30 minutes of yoga will do the trick. There are even some really good YouTube channels out there with low-impact workouts you could start out with. Just remember to take it easy and not be too hard on yourself. 

  1. Treat yo’ self

Now, when I say treat yourself, I don’t mean you should now buy every single thing you have on every single online cart, but… Go ahead and buy yourself that pretty top you were saving for, buy all those books you’ve been meaning to read, and if you want that piece of cake you’ve been eyeing for the past half hour, go for it! This is the moment to give to yourself all those things you’ve been craving because, honestly, you deserve it. And yes, some good ol’ self care at home counts too. 

  1. Meditate

I know, I know. You’re telling yourself there’s no way you can possibly sit still for more than 5 minutes. Well, what if I told you that you don’t have to, exactly? Well, at least not at first. From personal experience, I’ve learned that meditation is something you get better at with time. Some of us need to start off with 2 minutes, and others can amp it up to 5. After that, you can slowly add in more minutes until you are satisfied with your results. Also, you don’t have to remain completely silent during that period of time. You can always repeat affirmations or talk to yourself (I promise it isn’t as weird as it sounds). The important thing is that you steady your breathing and focus on reaching a relaxed state. 

  1. Cut out toxic people

This one is definitely easier said than done, but trust me when you muster up the courage to drop those people that are causing you so much harm, it’ll be so worth it. Sometimes it’ll feel like you’re left with no one else to go to, but you’ll eventually be surrounded by people who love and support you once again. 

  1. Try to bring back an old hobby

Try to revisit an activity you used to like doing. It’ll take your mind off things for a while and maybe bring back the nostalgia of a time in your life when things were maybe a bit easier. It could be drawing, playing the guitar, scrapbooking…whatever it is, reconnect with your old self!

  1. Go outdoors

Last but not least, go outside and catch some rays. It has been proven to improve your mood and lower stress levels. Just 15 minutes of sitting outside and breathing in the fresh air will do the trick. 

So, I hope you can incorporate some of these tips into your everyday life in order to boost your mood every now and then. Remember that things may seem incredibly stressful right now, but after every storm comes a rainbow. It’ll be over before you know it. Keep up the good work!

Ana Emmanuelli is the current Co-Chapter Leader and Vice President at Her Campus UPR. Apart from assisting in overseeing the work of each team – be it the Editing Team, Writing Team, and/or Social Media Team- she also carries out administrative duties such as sending weekly notices to members, keeping track of chapter level requirements, and communicating with Her Campus Nationals. Lastly, she has been an active contributor to the magazine for three consecutive years and previously held the role of Secretary. Even though she is very much passionate about writing, she is now completing her fourth year as an undergrad majoring in Biology at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, which highlights her interest in the topics of science and health within her articles. Apart from her role in Her Campus, she is also Vice President of the internationally acclaimed MEDLIFE organization in her university’s chapter, where she has been able to build the skills she now uses in her Chapter Leader role at Her Campus UPR. In her free time, she loves reading classical literature and watching mind-bending movies with complex plots. She also loves to come up with new sketches and ways to create any type of art.