As soon as I compared my syllabi side by side on the first day of the semester, I knew that this week, week 5, was going to be a true marathon. Three midterms along with formulating a working op-ed pitch, attending extracurricular meetings, and finding time to watch Jane the Virgin were just some of the things I had on the docket for the week.
When certain weeks seem especially daunting, my advice is to take time on Sunday to prepare for the week ahead by keeping these things in mind.
You are not alone.
This is so important to remember. If you find a class especially difficult or rigorous, chances are many other people do too. Never hesitate to reach out to other classmates or seek extra help. Remember that we truly are all in this together. Take everything with a grain of salt and keep in mind that one exam score will not make or break you. It’s about how you finish, not how you start.
Take time for yourself.
I know for a fact that I would not have been able to get through this week without watching Jane the Virgin or some form of entertainment. Even when my 6 AM alarm for the gym went off, I was so excited to do something non school related that I didn’t even hesitate to get out of bed. Not to mention the thought of my Celsius helped as well. It’s so easy to feel like you have to spend every second of the day studying or doing homework, especially when you see other people doing it, but be sure to set boundaries. Eventually it’s simply not worth sacrificing your mental and physical health for a test you’ll forget about in a few weeks.
Think about why you’re doing this.
When I sit down to study or have little to no motivation, I take a step back and look at the bigger picture. For me, I want to be a physical therapist one day, and I know that in order to do that I have to put in hard work now. At the same time, I have realized that I have a horrible habit of wishing things away and spending so much time orchestrating other scenarios in my head instead of just focusing on what is currently happening. I’ll never be able to redo my first year, and the same holds true for all of the years to come. These people and this place are so unique, and it’s important to take advantage of that while you can.
When in doubt, go to Trader Joe’s.
I don’t need to elaborate here because this speaks for itself, but I have yet to encounter a problem that can’t be solved by a Trader Joe’s run mixed with some Olivia Rodrigo, preferably her song Happier.