December is quite a month. On the one hand, it's the holiday season so that means it's the most wonderful time of the year. On the other hand, there are countless stressful barriers between you and the holidays, whether it be the first round of college decisions or finals. As such, here are some reminders (with the help of "The Office") to get through this rollercoaster of a month!
1. You're not alone.
Are you at that brink where you don't know whether to cry or laugh? Yeah. I don't think I even need to say anything else, because you are so not alone. But...
2. It will all pay off!
At some point, you'll probably get sick of studying and just want to lie in bed and watch Netflix for the rest of time until your exam. Before you do that, however, just know that all of your hard work and Netflix sacrifices will pay off when you nail your exam! And even if something doesn't go as planned...
3. The world will not end.
Whether you did poorly on an exam or didn't get into your top choice college, I know it seems like the end of the world right now, but I promise it isn't actually. Exams come and go, and one grade will not determine the rest of your life, so the important thing is just to learn from the experience. As for colleges, I will say this time and time again, but the college process is truly so unpredictable. The most important thing to know is that because of the nature of the process, there may not have been a single thing you could have done better. And that's okay, because wherever you end up will be perfect for you as long as you make the most of it—just remember, everything happens for a reason. That said...
4. Don't be afraid to let it out!
If need to talk to a friend/scream/cry/do the dreaded laugh-cry, do it! Keeping your stress or other emotions bottled inside won't help, and you will be able to concentrate better if you let your emotions out anyway. On a similar note...
5. Don't judge yourself for struggling with something!
If you are struggling to understand a particular topic that you are trying to study, or even if you're just struggling to pick yourself back up after a disappointing college decision, do not judge yourself for it! Getting frustrated for not just being able to move on or blaming yourself isn't productive. It's hard to get a disappointing decision from a college you were really excited about. Let yourself feel how you feel without passing judgment because that will best allow you to process those emotions to properly move on soon, with a little time. And if it's a concept that you're struggling with for an exam, beating yourself up for being "stupid" or needing it explained like you're five won't help! Having trouble with a concept doesn't make you unintelligent, it makes you human. You can always go to your professor's office hours, or ask a friend to help you out, but don't waste your energy feeling silly for not getting it immediately. Speaking of energy...
6. Do not forget to sleep, eat, and drink water!
It's easy to want to try to pull all-nighters or skip meals when you have an exam to cram for, but just remember that adequate sleep, food, and hydration are all critical for you to be at your highest functioning. You're most likely not going to remember what you read on a caffeine-high at 4:30 a.m., anyway, so don't over-tax your body for no reason! Taking the time to get sleep and eat a hearty meal are all important both for your body—and brain!—to reenergize, and it also gives you a break. You should also consciously allocate certain break times to self-care because...
7. Self-care is important.
I know, I know—you're probably thinking, "what on earth, I barely have enough time to breathe between this 90-page report, 16 final papers, and the 7,000 chapters I need to read for each of my 14 exams, all of which need to be done by Tuesday. I don't have time for 'self-care!'" And I get that, I really do. But that's also why self-care is more important during high-stress times than ever—you will be so much more productive if you are taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. On top of physically eating and sleeping right, taking a few minutes every now and again to give yourself a mental and emotional relaxer is important. Whether it be doing a quick breathing exercise or a small section of one of those de-stressing coloring sheets or even 10 jumping jacks to get the blood pumping, this doesn't have to take long at all. Through it all, always remember...
8. You're doing great, even if you don't think so!
If you don't think so, you are probably just being too hard on yourself (and are judging yourself). I am very guilty of that too, and it's completely normal—but that doesn't mean it's accurate! As you go about conquering these next few weeks, whether it be finals or hearing back from colleges, remember that you are doing your best and that you is smart, you is kind, and you is important, no matter what.
Or just channel your inner Beyoncé, same thing.
