On Monday, we start our last two weeks of classes, followed by finals week, and next week only lasts two days. If you're like most people I know, you have three papers and four tests sometime in those next three weeks -- and you're not ready for any of them. Before panic sets in, breathe. Here are five simple things you need to do to get through the end of the semester.
1. Set goals.
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So you have two weeks until two of your papers are due. Tackle those first. Attack all of your deadlines this way. Figuring out what needs to be done at what time is the first step to getting things done. Put post-it notes on your wall, set reminders on your phone or mark your planner. Just keep your goals in front of your face all the time. Setting goals for getting your work done ahead of time instead of waiting until the night before it's due is key.
2. Learn when to take a break.
Now that you've set goals and you're not so pressed for time, recognize when you need to take a break, and take one. Schedule your work so that you have time to go to the cafe for dinner with your friends. Make sure that when you can't type a complete sentence and you can't read one more line you take a break from the screen. Hitting the gym, practicing yoga or drinking coffee and then taking a 20-30 minute power naps are awesome ways to re-energize and get focused again.
3. Get enough sleep, but not too much.
Set a bedtime for yourself, and sacrifice the hour long morning beauty routine (no one else is going to look great either). Make sure you're getting the amount of sleep you need so that you're not dozing off during your classes and you have enough energy afterward to crank out some papers.
On the other hand, you don't want to exhaust yourself so that you're going to sleep super early and sleeping 14 hours (I've totally been guilty of this). Getting too much sleep leaves you feeling just as groggy as not getting enough.
4. Get a study group.
You don't have to be studying the same thing to sit down with friends to focus on school work. Setting a meeting time and a few hours aside with friends is a great way to hold yourself accountable for meeting your goals and finishing work on time.
5. Avoid temptation to waste time.
I'm talking to all of my fellow Netflix binge watchers. Don't watch a TV series, watch a movie. You're less likely to say, "Just one more!"
Go to the library, or set aside time to clean your room as a break from homework. If you stay in your messy room, you just have to clean it before finishing your work, right?
Go everywhere with a plan. Don't meander in Walmart looking at the Christmas gifts if you went for post-it notes and high lighters.
Turn your phone off!
Now that you have a game plan, make these last three weeks count!
