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Health and Wellness

Self Care for the Student

Sometimes, selfish is essential.

Maria Magidenko

Nov 14, 2016

Williams College

Maria Magidenko

As we ever so slowly limp through the semester toward Thanksgiving (and eventually Winter Break), I find myself struggling more and more to wake up, jump into my responsibilities, and finish all of my work in one sitting like I did just two months ago. Call it burn out or just plain end of the semester exhaustion, but it seems to affect me every year around this time. So how do I fight it? Here are my own tips for surviving these last few weeks of the fall semester.

1. Sleep.

If you find yourself nodding off during class or halfway through your review session, you need to listen to your body. It needs rest. You will finish that problem set tomorrow morning. Go to sleep as soon as possible.

2. Get proper nutrition.

It is easy to either stress eat like crazy or forget to eat at all when you are extremely stressed. Food is important to keep you fueled up and ready to face your tasks. You want to feel at your best to perform your best, and the path to success begins with your stomach.

3. Stay active.

Go on a jog, go to the gym, do something active to blow off steam when you are not getting the results you want in your lab report. Do not fall into the trap of staying in bed all day. Keeping active will keep you feeling energized and refreshed.

4. Take breaks.

You are not a machine. Watch a short video between problem sets or grab dinner with friends. Walk from one library to the other. Give your body (and brain!) a break from work as needed.

5. MAKE time for hobbies.

No one can do work and only work for weeks or even days straight. Do the things you love and enjoy doing them. You will be happier, and happy hands create better results. In addition, having fun events to look forward to will keep your eyes on the prize and get you through this time.

6. Reach out.

If you are struggling, get the help that you need. Whether your problem is academic or just life-related, seek out resources. And early. The only regret you will have is waiting too long to make that first move.

7. Do what YOU need to do.

It is okay to be selfish sometimes and check out if you need it. Listen to your body and your mind. Do what you need to to power through.

Hang in there. Break will be here before you know it.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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Self Care for the Student

Sometimes, selfish is essential.

1. Sleep.

2. Get proper nutrition.

3. Stay active.

4. Take breaks.

5. MAKE time for hobbies.

6. Reach out.

7. Do what YOU need to do.

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No one best represents the struggle like our favorite 90s squad.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

2. When there is only one section of a popular course.

3. Receiving the 18,000 emails reminding you to register ASAP.

4. When you need to see an advisor, but they are too busy/unresponsive.

5. Trying not to dress like a bum for your appointments with your advisors/department heads.

6. When you have a perfectly planned out schedule, and one class ruins it.

7. Carefully moving things around to accommodate a different class/section.

8. Waking up at 6:00 a.m. for your enrollment time.

9. Concocting a new schedule at your enrollment time after your original plan gets changed.

10. Getting into a class and filling the last available seat.

11. When all of your classes finally go through.

12. Realizing that you forgot a class that was a pre-requisite for everything else.

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

"Nobody living in one of the most influential nations in the world should be worried about making ends meet."

What is the current minimum wage at the federal level?

What are the benefits of raising the minimum wage?

What are the states that have set a $15/hour minimum wage?

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Because who understands your bitterness better than April?

1. When you have to provide an "interesting fact" for your first day ice-breaker.

2. When your professor is babbling on and on in his lecture.

3. When you edit your friend's paper and they get an A.

4. When it's 2 AM and you remember you have a test tomorrow.

5. When you finish taking the test and you're pretty sure you failed...

6. ...but then you get the test back and somehow passed.

7. When you've been up for 12 hours straight writing a paper.

8. And then you manage to stay awake in class the next day.

9. When you have to butter up your professor for an extra credit opportunity.

10. When you're assigned a group project.

11. And your group-mates are trying to chat about life instead of the assignment.

12. When it's your last class of the day and you're about to go home.

13. But then you remember rent is due tonight and the anger comes back.

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