1. SLEEP.
Seriously, sleep is a good thing. I know it’s tempting to skip out on sleeping in favor of getting assignments done, but trust me, you need the sleep more than you need the A (and this is coming from a very Type-A person who will gladly take a good grade over a good night’s sleep any day; I’ve been working on that this semester).
2. Find a good routine.
ie: Wake up around the same time every day and try to go to sleep at the same time every day. Eat lunch around the same time every day, same with breakfast and dinner. Consistency is key in not losing your mind when there’s four papers and three group presentations breathing down your neck (in addition to all the other work because honestly, don’t professors know that we other classes besides theirs?)
3. Write out everything you have to do before the semester ends, but don’t do this more than three weeks in advance.
You’ll be terribly overwhelmed if you do so. Instead, review the syllabus for each of your classes over the weekend (or on a Friday, that’s usually what I do) and write out what’s due when to get a bird’s eye view of your workload for the coming week. Seeing everything that’s due is intimidating, but crossing things off that list is insanely satisfying, and makes you feel more productive than you (maybe) are (if you’re like me, that is).
4. Go outside.
Even if it’s just your commute to class, being outside and breathing in some fresh air is refreshing and restorative (to use two wildly overused words).
5. Assign certain subjects or projects to certain days.
For example, I tend to do my lightest/easiest homework on Wednesdays and Fridays because those days are my busier days. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday I tend to do my more involved homework. The weekends are when I try to do more writing-based or heavy sections of reading. Ideally, I’d do the homework that’s due Monday on Friday or Saturday and work from there, but that usually isn’t the case for me.
6. Be gentle with yourself.
This time of year is stressful. Give yourself a break if you need one: take a nap, watch a short show on Netflix, listen to some music and close your eyes for a while, or read a book that isn’t for school. Find time to take a hot shower, or go see a movie. Taking an hour to relax will make the next four hours of homework easier, I promise.
