To all of my stressed and beautiful friends:
Take a step back from your work. That’s right. Put your pens down, close your books, exit out of that tab with your 30 page reading. As you do that, take a deep breath. When you exhale, think about the stress that you’re releasing as you do so. Everything you’re afraid of, stressed about, and freaking out about has just been put on the back burner. For the five minutes it’ll take for you to read this, pretend that school doesn’t exist right now.
Think of spring break. Will you be lying on a beach somewhere? Or will you be on your couch, watching a new show on Netflix? Imagine it for a minute: the warm sun or the comfy couch cushions. The sounds of waves or the popcorn popping in the microwave. You deserve this. You’ve been working so hard. You’re pretty amazing, you know that?
Close your eyes for a few seconds. Count back from 30. Hear those ocean waves or the sound of the “Fuller House” theme song. Spring break is only a few days away. You can recuperate, recover, and recharge. You can pet your dog, hug your mom, and chill with your best friends from home.
When you open your eyes, you will feel that you can conquer whatever you’re working on. You are stronger than you think you are. That ten page essay? Doable. That cumulative closed-book and closed-note midterm? Conquerable. That project you have to do with someone you don’t like? Easy!
You got this!
We’re all rooting for you. Nothing can stand in your way. And just think, in a few days, you’ll be on your way to a beautiful weeklong break. You deserve it. We’re all proud of you.
Remember to get up and take a walk. Getting away from your work for a while will help you focus when you get back to it. The weather has been beautiful lately, so why not take advantage of it for a while? Your work will be there when you get back. Make some plans to hang out with your friends. Take a walk along the Rail Trail or stop by Dohnut on Water Street and treat yourself.
And in the end, while your midterms are important, your grades do not define who you are. Work hard, but remember to take care of yourself!