1. Stay Hydrated: As often as it’s stated now, it’s still important. Keeping a water bottle on you often is usually a good idea. Just taking a break every one in a while to take a quick sip to keep yourself healthy and refreshed.
2. Taking Breaks is Important: Absolutely. Not all breaks are procrastination. Sometimes your brain just needs time to reboot, and the best way to do that is to get up from your workspace and take a little break every once in a while. Get up, take a walk, put on some music, just do what you have to in order to get your mind booted up again!
3. Health Comes First: It’s easy to get caught up in a productive streak and pull an all-nighter or skip a meal or two. And while this may seem necessary at times, it’s still important to remember that your body and mind need the proper rest and fuel in order to function at their highest capacity, so it’s important to take care of yourself in any capacity that you’re able.
4. Take One Thing at a Time: With finals week and end-of-the-year campus events coming up, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer number of things on our plates. But it’s important to focus on “putting out the fire in front of you;” just do one task at a time, and be proud of what you’ve done so far. Every fire put out lowers the possibility that you’ll be burned.
5. You are Not Alone: As necessary as it may seem to lock yourself up in your room for the duration of finals week, it’s important to remember that you have people out there you can reach out to. Classmates, friends, TAs…if you need help with something or just want someone to vent to or have a study date with, it’s important to remember that when you need someone there, you’re certainly not alone.
6. You’ve Already Come so Far: Look at you! You’ve done so much to be proud of already! It’s easy to get caught up and dragged down by what needs to be done, but it’s also important to remember that you’ve gotten yourself to this point, and you deserve to be proud of that!
7. Grades Aren’t Everything: In the world of academics, it’s easy to get lost in the idea that your grades define your intelligence and ability, but this is absolutely not true. Your grades do not define your intelligence or your worth. You are so infinitely amazing and talented, way more than one number will be able to encapsulate.
And of course, the most important reminder of all; You’ve got this! You’re amazing!