We're at the point in the semester where it seems like everyone is falling apart at least a little bit.
Half of campus is sick, no one has slept in over a week, everyone is over caffeinated and overtired and chances are, you're coming up on due dates you barely have time to think about. It may seem like all hope is lost, but fear not.
I have 16 solutions on ways to make you feel like you have your shit together, even when you don't.
1. Make a to-do list with small, achievable goals.
Nothing makes you feel worse than having a to-do list with 23 goals for the week and only crossing off 3 of them.
Setting goals that are too big, have too many steps, or take a lot of time makes it discouraging to you. Write down everything you do so you can see that you're actually getting things done. For example, if you have a 6-page essay due Thursday, don't just put the essay on the list. Put down:
- History Essay
- Intro Paragraph
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6/conclusion
- Citations
This way, every time you get something done for this essay, you feel like you've accomplished something! Because you have! But be careful; sometimes, long lists can make you feel more stressed out.
2. Clean Your Room
Okay, I get it, you're drowning in work and you feel like you have to get everything done RIGHT NOW.
But most of the time, when I feel like I have too many things to do, I get overwhelmed and just sit staring at a page for 35-40 minutes. Lately, instead of just staring at the wall in front of me, I've been reminding myself that there are more productive ways to procrastinate.
Chances are, your room being tidy isn't on the top of your priority list when you have 4+ assignments due in the next 2 days, but it totally should be! There's a good chance that when you clean your room, you'll feel like you've been at least a little bit productive that day.
It'll also make it easier for you to focus when you don't see all of the outfits you've worn for the past week on the floor in front of you.
3. Do a load of laundry (even if it's just your sheets)
When I've got an essay to write, I do a load of laundry. It gives you a sort of time limit. I usually like to write as much as I can during the time my clothes are in the washer, take a break when I have to go put the clothes in the dryer, and then come back and edit. It's like using the palmetto method for studying, but with a more definitive time.
4. Organize your calendar
The first thing I do when I get every class's syllabus a the beginning of the semester is to make a list of all of the assignments I have due.
I write them down on my calendar and print out the list and, as the semester goes on, I highlight the assignments that I've finished. It makes me feel so much better when I've completed a huge assignment to cross it off the list, but it also helps me plan ahead for the next week. It's something I developed Freshman year when I found it way too hard to keep track of everything due to all the different syllabi.
It's never too late to do this! Taking an hour or so to make sure you know when everything is due can save you all-nighters in the long run.
5. Exercise
Chances are, your campus has a gym or even fitness classes that are absolutely free with your tuition. Exercising is the ultimate adult thing to do when you feel like you're not taking care of yourself, plus it's good for your immune system and helps you focus. Take a break from writing that essay and go to a yoga class, or bring flash cards to the gym and get on the elliptical.
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