Picture this: your first two midterms have come and gone. Papers are far from being due. You’re tired, but not too tired. There’s a crisp autumn breeze in the air, but the sun is still shining. Fall reading week is here! You make plans: pumpkin patches, catching up on your readings, photo-ops at Wineology, a day trip to Toronto for a concert, the works. Then you wake up and realize that you spent the entire week bedrotting and scrolling on TikTok. And, to your shock and horror, you have a midterm, on Monday. This is how reading week comes and goes for most students. Hopefully, reading this article will prevent another wasted reading week , and you can return to campus well-rested.
- Spend Time with Friends and Family
Thanksgiving is on the horizon. That means family. I know that you may be dreading it: the questions about boyfriends, plans for the future, and whether you may or may not have your license. However, you must remember that the price to pay for community is inconvenience. One day, when you’re stuck in a library study room trying to make sense of your notes in between midterms, you’ll miss visiting your grandmother for Sunday lunch or going out with the friend who talks too much. Isolation is not healthy for humans. Spend at least one night this week out at a restaurant or café with a friend, or visit those family members you’ve been neglecting for the past while. You might feel a bit less lonely after.
- Go Outside
Don’t just walk around your neighbourhood. Go to the apple orchards, pumpkin patches, check out a new restaurant, haunt a bookstore, or go to the mall. Just get out of your house. Once you go back to school, you’ll be back in the never-ending cycle of campus, work, and home. Varying your surroundings helps prevent burnout, deepens your appreciation for your environment, and makes life a little more interesting than spending the week at home. Even if you can’t find anywhere interesting to go, take your time to enjoy the fall colours.
- Study—but Not Too Much
Reading week is the perfect time to get back on track with the readings you’ve let fall to the wayside while studying for midterms. This is the time to get started on those papers and lab reports you’ve forgotten about. However, don’t become too burdened by school work. This is your time to rest and recharge your batteries. Remember that after reading week comes another avalanche of assignments and midterms. You need to be well-rested to do well in school—remember, a tired brain can’t perform as well as a brain that has gone for a walk or two.
I hope this article encourages you all to pursue a productive yet restful Reading Week! Make sure you watch an episode or two of Gilmore Girls, have a slice of pumpkin pie while brainstorming a paper, and frolic among the autumn leaves—you deserve it!