Being college students, I think we can all agree that late October through November is the worst time of year. The midterms seem to never end, the weather continues to get colder, and it gets darker earlier and earlier every day. While this sucks and can put us all in a bad mood, here are some suggestions to help you get over the hump and hold out until break!
Give yourself a break, even if it’s not long!
It’s amazing what even an hour or two can do for your mental health. Designate a specific time to relax, preferably right after a midterm or big assignment is finally finished. Give yourself permission to stop worrying about school — just for a bit! Catch up with a friend, grab your favorite Babcock ice cream, watch a few episodes of your favorite Netflix show—the possibilities are endless. I guarantee you’ll feel refreshed to some degree after you’re done taking a break.
Try a meditation app
Try a meditation app to stop what you’re doing, take a deep breath and release some tension. It doesn’t take a lot of time, and many of these apps are free. I recommend Headspace. You can personalize a profile and choose what types of sessions you like. The Basic sessions have worked best for me. They are only 10 minutes, and all you need is a pair of headphones and a quiet space. If you’re interested in more, the subscription is only about $7 a month, and you can access features such as “minis”, which are quick 2- 3-minute sessions with different themes, such as “Breathe” and “Focus”. You can also sign up for notifications, which pop up on your phone randomly through the day. These are great for some midday motivation, encouraging words or when you need a bit of a reality check.
Girls’ Night
Forget waiting in line at the bars or trekking to some house party across campus, stay in with your friends or roomies and have a fun girls night! The possibilities are endless: watch your favorite movies or Netflix shows, get some wine, do face masks, eat pizza — whatever your heart desires! Sometimes you just need to unwind with your favorite people.
Go Home
If you live close enough to campus, sometimes this is really the best remedy for all the stressors of college. Find a weekend where you don’t have anything especially pressing to do, and take a trip home, even if it’s just for 24 hours. I just went home a couple weekends ago, and it was exactly what I needed. Being able to see your family, catch up with old friends, eat some of your favorite foods and not be in the campus area is one of the best ways to shed the stress and never-ending thoughts about school.
Pet A Dog
While this may not be immediately accessible, this is definitely a surefire way to release some happy hormones and calm down a bit. There are a few events per semester, especially around midterms and finals, where you can go and play with therapy dogs. You can check out the Dogs On Call calendar to find out when and where there will be furry friends on campus!
At this point in the semester, it can be hard not to feel worried and overwhelmed a significant amount of the time. Just remember that almost everyone is feeling that exact same way, and you will get through it! Doing any of these things is sure to help calm you down a bit, and give you some peace of mind.