I don't know why, but the Spring semester is always the hardest. Maybe it lacks the sense of a fresh start that comes with Fall classes, or maybe it's the lack of little breaks here an there. Regardless, those 13 odd weeks from January to May seem to really sap the energy out of us poor college students. Now, Spring Break is over and it's back to the grindstone for the last few weeks. So here I present you with some little things you can do to make the final stretch bearable.
Plan a picnic
Warm weather approaches (almost), so look into your local area for a beautiful picnic spot. Plan to spend a glorious Sunday with your friends and your favorite snacks. It's easy to get so lost in your campus life that you forget to explore the area around your college, so take advantage of the scenery as it gets warmer.
Find your college bucket list
Most colleges have that list floating around on social media, the top however-many things to do at insert-college-name-here before graduation. It can be hard to cram all of these things into one semester so make a start now. It's a great distraction! If you don't have one, make one and wait for it to go viral.
Have a board game night
Okay, so maybe this doesn't sound like the wildest night, but you might be surprised at how fun a board game night can be. Wine is optional, but snacks aren't. Spend some quality time with the people in your house, get to know people who you might not otherwise hang out with. The final weeks of semester will see a lot of seniors graduating, so spend time with them before they go. Plus it's great for de-stressing around exam time.Buy a novelty item
Okay so this is 100% funds permitting, but save up your work study money and get yourself a fun little novelty item to cheer you up. It doesn't have to be big like this baked potato bean bag that is way out of my budget, yet I insist on coveting. Maybe it's a cool pack of Lisa Frank stickers, or a beer hat. Whatever it is, get yourself something quintessentially college, something non-adult. Be silly, go wild, forget about finals!
DIY activity day
This DIY Dino Hatcher tutorial is quick, easy, and cheap. As the work piles up and the end of the seester is so close, yet so far take a break and make a little dinosaur that hatches out of a jelly egg. There are hundreds of cool tutorials like this all over Pinterest and the internet, so do something fun to take your mind off of work.
Read a good book
Read something inspiring, a book or poem that reminds you why you came to college. Find a book by an alum of your college, or in your field. Reminding yourself why you love your major or school can do wonders for a flagging student.
Pet a pet
If you're lucky enough to attend somewhere like Smith College, you have a access to the best day of the year, Pet a Pet day. GO! find out when it is and go, pet those fluffy puppies. If not, go to the nearest park and pet all the pets you can. Find fluffy things and pet away (ask the owner first). It's a surefire morale booster!
Plan something fun before the start of Summer
Internships are a privilege, and many people can't afford to take of a summer to do one it's important to remember when making summer plans with friends. Whether you're working, interning, chilling out or a combination of all three, plan a few days at the end of the semester to just relax before tackling these activities. Even if you don't go anywhere, have a week or a weekend of fun and relaxation to de-stress after finals. Plan it now and it'll give you something to carry you through the final weeks of classes.
So there you have it, fun things to get you through until May and freedom from papers and classes. It's an uphill struggle, but we can do it. Have fun and work hard, you'll miss college once it's over and it'll be over sooner than you think. Also, please make the Dino Egg Soap and post pictures online because they're awesome!