There are about 4-5 weeks left in the semester. It always seems that Spring semester is always ten times more stressful than fall. Maybe it’s because we’re so focused on the fact that winter is ending and we want to be out enjoying the nice weather. Maybe it’s because we seem to have way more assignments that are due at the same time. Maybe it’s because we are starting to lose the motivation to do all these assignments and Netflix is becoming way more tempting. Maybe it’s also because if you go to Bloom, then Block Party is coming up. It's our chance to forget about school ALL weekend and just roam the town and have fun. No matter what, Spring semester manages to be super stressful. There are just a few things, however, that everyone needs to hear and remember as these last few weeks are winding down.
1) Take it day by day.
Stop thinking about what is coming up in a few weeks. Take your time. Allow yourself the time to breathe and to have your head straight. If you constantly think about what kind of stress you're under, more stress will appear and will make you feel worse.
2) Call your family.
I always feel better once I give my family a call. Whether it’s my mom’s encouraging words, my dad praising me for all the work I have accomplished, even my young cousins sending me a text saying hello, it makes me come back down from any stress and stop and be able to breathe and be thankful for my family. Even call your best friend and just have a rant session with them and if they're anything like my best friend, they'll help you through it and make you realize that you can accomplish anything. Or they'll send you two coffee mugs with Tina Belcher on it because she knows that Tina is your spirit animal and that you're addicted to coffee (thank you, Kay).
3) Make a schedule.
Write somewhere all your upcoming assignments and extra-curricular activities. Plan a day where you do “x” amount of research one day, you study for a certain subject the next, give yourself a day to yourself where you just get done regular homework and then maybe do some laundry, or see a friend. Leave your weekends for when you do some community service or where you clean the apartment. Having a set schedule will help you realize that you HAVE to these certain things at a certain time so you aren’t running around stressing yourself out even more.
4) If you’re going to procrastinate, maybe try and plan out your procrastination.
I am a procrastinator. Most college students are. And I’ve had the sleepless nights of doing my entire paper or project the night before. If you feel like you’re going to procrastinate, reread your assignment so you know what has to be done. So, if you’re going to be on campus for class, and you have a break, or you don’t have to go back right away, maybe take a little time to read whatever you have to for the paper. Or go to the library for at least an hour, just to get some articles or find a topic. If you’re already in your room and you aren’t doing anything, open your laptop and do the same thing. Or read the articles you printed out from the library. Doing little things will help set you up for when you realize the assignment is due the next day and when you go to write it, you find you’ve already highlighted information that will help put it together.
5) Remember it’s okay to take a break.
I have found myself just staring at my laptop or textbook and can feel myself stressing out and wanting to freak out. And that’s okay. That’s when I close my textbook or exit out of the website I’m on and go to YouTube or Netflix for a little while and relax. Just to breathe and then once I feel that I can continue or just really want to get my work out of the way, I’ll pick back up on it. It’s not bad to just step away for a little.
6) Take advantage of the nice day.
It’s spring semester. Which means that in the middle of the semester, winter will officially be over. The first day of spring will come and you will have the day where the sun peeks out and it reaches over 50 degrees. People will start to not bring a jacket to class, girls will start to bring out light sweaters and plan their outfits so they can feel comfortable and cool. Guys are still wearing shorts because regardless if it’s 60 or 20 degrees outside, there will be guys wearing shorts, but the sweatshirts will switch out with t-shirts and V-necks. Rain will fall and then the sun will continue to come out. So take the walk up to campus, sit in the quad, bring a textbook and get some homework done. Open your windows and blast Summer Hits from 2000s station from Pandora and get some work done. And then reward yourself by walking around town, visiting a friend, sitting out on your roof, pop open a wine cooler or beer and just relax. You’ll thank yourself for it.
7) Ask for help.
If you’re really struggling, do not keep that hidden. There are so many options that you can use that will help you get to where you want to be. Your professors have office hours. They still you in the beginning to go to them if you have any questions. If you can’t go during their hours, email or tell them after class that you would like to meet up with them. They will not tell you to know. They can help clarify your assignment and can give you insight. There are also tutors and mentors that can help you. You can even ask your friends, roommates, or other people who are in the same major/ class as you.
There are only a few weeks left. You’ve done this all before. Soon you’ll be home cuddling with your pets and relaxing with your family. Use that as your motivation to keep going and remember that it’s okay to feel like you’re going to break down. Let it happen and then pick yourself back up and remind yourself that you can do this.
