As the Spring semester begins, myself and other students are faced with the stress of what it takes to get a degree. The dates of upcoming exams, projects, papers, and homework assignments float in my head as I try to come up with a schedule to get them all done. My planner is already filled with empty boxes next to assignments that are waiting to be completed. Like most college students, there is too much to do and little time.

Needless to say, I am stressed. However, as a junior, I have already survived quite a few other semesters and here are some tips on how I did it.

1. Take some time for yourself everyday

I'm starting off with my number one tip because I cannot say how important it is. Everyday I try to wake up earlier than I need to in order to relax and do whatever I want. Personally, I choose to go to the gym during this time if I can, but its up to you. I'm not a morning person at all so this amount of time can vary from two hours to twenty minutes. It's important to take time to focus on what you want to do rather than what your friends or professors want you to do.

3. Create a good pump up playlist

Music easily has the ability to change your mood. Create a playlist of songs that pump you up and make you happy to give you a little pick me up throughout the day. I find listening to music while walking to and from my classes helps me to relax and clear my mind. As I write this article, I'm currently listening to music to unwind and really focus on writing. Whether you love pop, slower music, edm, etc. There's nothing better than the feeling you get when you listen to a really good song.

4. One task at a time

We all seem to get caught up in thinking about what's due when and what we need to do today, tomorrow, next week, and even next month. My mind starts to spin when I think about what I have to get done in the next week. Plan out when you will complete each assignment. It is so much easier to do all your work when you don't have to cram it in one day. Another tip that I really encourage everyone to try for at least a week is writing due dates in your planner(if you don't have one get one already c'mon) one or two days earlier than it's actually due. This helps me because I usually forget exactly when something is due so I look to my planner to see due dates. By writing the due dates earlier then they actually are, I don't have to worry about cramming the night before to get my homework done. There's no better feeling then getting your homework done early.