If your in college or have ever been in college, you know that there is that one semester that tried, or is currently trying, to kill you. You knew it was going to be hard when you registered for courses, but you figured you could handle one semester of taking five classes, two labs, and working three jobs. It was only a couple of months, right?
Wrong. So, very wrong.
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Two weeks into classes, you start to realize your error. You're already exhausted, but you keep your head up, waiting for the weekend. You'll get to go out and party and see your friends and all will be well.
Wrong, again.
You spend the weekend doing lab write ups and reading the Epic of Gilgamesh, still getting little to no sleep, and by Monday you look like someone hit you with their car. You've completely given up on dressing nice, instead opting for sweats and an oversize t-shirt. Your hair looks like you just got a swirly from a middle school bully, and the skin around your eyes is grey and puffy. All you can think about now is how terrible of a mistake you've made, but if you want to keep up with everyone else in your major, you have to keep on trucking.
That's where these 7 tips for surviving this terrible semester come in handy.
1. Even though you might have to get up a little earlier, eat breakfast every single day.
It might seem so simple that it's stupid, but I know that college students will almost always opt for that extra half-hour of sleep. While you will be exhausted during your hell semester, if you don't eat something in the morning and give your body something to go off of, you're quickly going to wear away into a little empty husk of a student.
2. Find that energy boost that works for you.
For me, that boost is coffee. I can drink it by the pot. Some people hate coffee though, and I've seen substitutes anywhere from Red Bull to herbal tea to a bag of sour gummy worms.
3. A good study space is invaluable.
Personally, I hate studying in the library. There are some people who can spend days on end there, but through the years I know that it just doesn't work for me. I love being at my desk with movie scores playing in the background. Some more places might range from the cafeteria between meals when it's quiet, reading rooms in classroom buildings, and the coffee shop down the street. The key is knowing that the spot you choose is a place to hunker down and get shit done.
4. Find a study buddy.
Even if you don't physically study with this person, at least have someone else to hold you accountable for every class. That way, if you skip, they know. If you don't get your homework done, someone else can spur you into getting caught up. It might suck on the day you really want to sleep through your morning class, but you'll thank them when you don't miss that crucial O-Chem review session.
5. Schedule a night a week to do nothing.
This might seem impossible to do, but I promise that it's attainable. All you have to do is really get good at writing things in your agenda and sticking to them. If your favorite show comes on on Tuesday night, make that's your "do nothing" night. If you know that you want to be able to go out on Friday, schedule around that. Either way, know what you want to do to let off steam and make sure you have time to do it.
6. Don't forget to come out from under your rock.
Contrary to how you're feeling during the semester, it's still important to maintain personal relationships. Your best friend? Yeah, they still exist. Your parents and grandparents? They still want you to call every Sunday. Don't push people away just because you're stressed out.
7. Finally, don't be afraid to cut back.
Sometimes, it is just too much to handle and it's not the end of the world if you do have to drop a class. There are always other semesters and summer classes, and it will all work out in your favor. Your sanity is more valuable than one semester of college, I promise.
Remember, just take things day by day. It will suck, you will probably cry and eat your weight in chocolate and cheese fries, but once you get out of that last exam, you'll feel like your the master of the universe.
