Even though finals are only weeks away, the intense work load that comes with the end of the semester can be stressful. Here, HC Chatham team members share their tips for sustaining energy.
The common theme? As Business Team Member Casey Deer says, “Take time for yourself.”
Figure Out What’s Dragging You Down
“Motivation is the desire to keep doing things,” says Photographer Rosemary Davies. “Tracing back our motivation leads us to find that it’s connected to all aspects of our lifestyle. Diet. Sleep. Achievement. Encouragement. Anticipation. Optimism. Emotion. Hygiene. Personally, I am a survivor of “senioritis” during my last semester in high school. I got out of the slump by the relatively easy solution of eating breakfast daily. It took weeks before I noticed that my hunger had transgressed into a real, serious problem.”
Listen to Good Music
“Film scores are the best motivators around,” says Blog Section Editor Onastasia Youssef. “Whether it’s the soundtrack to The Lord of the Rings or the theme of Rocky, you’ll find that you’ve never felt more empowered!”
Watch TV
“I like taking small breaks from work to sit and watch an episode of one of my favorite shows like Pretty Little Liars or The Carrie Diaries,” says writer Paige Owens.
Spend Time with Friends
“When it comes to fun, always make sure to spend some time with your friends,” says Onastasia. “Even if you both end up studying together, talking about the material with one of your friends can really bring a subject to life.”
Get Outside
As the warmer weather arrives, it is very easy to add more fun to your week by walking around Chatham’s campus and the local community,” says News/Lifestyle Writer Shannon Ward. “There are always new opportunities for window shopping, exploring, and trying out local cuisine. I personally enjoy sitting down by the pond to feed bread to the fish and the ducks.” Paige likes to go exploring, too: “If the weather is nice, I’ll walk down to Walnut or into Squirrel Hill to grab a coffee and get some fresh air.”
Mix It Up
“Keeping your motivation is like keeping ‘a well balanced diet’,” says Rosemary. “In this analogy, it is important to note that you might want to ‘taste’ different things from your normal routine. You may want to try to attempt Tuvan or Inuit throat singing outside your dorm. Perhaps experiment with fractals or binary trees? Or, examine a plant’s tendrils with slow-motion photography? There’s so much to do, and that is where the fun lies.”
How do you stay motivated? Let us know in the comments!