Midterms are the literal worst– I would rather live in a never-ending finals week. My freshman year, the first midterms week scared the life out of me. I thought that finals would be so much worse, but they weren’t. Which makes sense because we get a whole week of studying for finals! No class! Just studying! Midterms are so stressful and managing stress is super important to acing your exams, so here is what I do to make it through midterms.
Exercise
This is probably the most obvious thing on this list, but sometimes it is good to have a reminder. Grab a friend and head to the gym! Take a yoga class on campus or take a walk. My favorite way to get moving this week has been walking around campus and finding the best climbing trees! It is such a fun way to move my body, and reconnect with my inner child.
Recharge Time
This week I have also been valuing my alone time! Have a cup of tea and turn on an episode of whatever show you’re binging before bed. I have been rewatching New Girl and loving every second of it. But make sure to get to sleep early– a good night’s rest is super important for doing well on your exams. Take a minute to take care of yourself, take some deep breaths, and move a little slower.
Crafting
I always forget how important reconnecting with my creative side is to reducing my stress. Make a scrapbook page of the first half of the semester and break out your fancy markers. I’ve picked my crochet hooks back up and am getting busy making some homemade ski layers! I think that decorating my planner pages is also a super fun way to get creative and plan for the week ahead.
Cold Plunging
This is something new I have been doing this semester, and I love it! It makes me feel so grounded. I love getting up early and driving to Lake Champlain with a friend and running right into the freezing water before class. If we have time after, I love to get coffee and a bagel and make the perfect morning out of it! Not to mention that the snowy beach and half frozen lake is so beautiful.
Just thinking about these and writing them down made me feel so much better. So I’ll just be hanging out with my glitter pens, watching New Girl, and trying to keep the exam stress and summer internship search doom at bay!