Spring Break is quickly approaching, which means that this is a popular time for professors to schedule their project due dates and tests. Amongst core classes, labs, extracurricular activities and more, it’s important that we all remember to take some time out of our days to give ourselves some “me” time. Here are a few quick solutions that will allow you to cut down on your stress for the long-term so that you ultimately have more time to get stuff done!
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Be on Your A-Game With a Schedule
As scary as it seems to have everything written down in front of you, creating a schedule is the best way to know exactly what’s due when. This will allow you to keep on top of your work and create a well-thought out plan that you can look at week by week. Rather than showing up at your 10 AM empty-handed because you didn’t know there was homework, put it on a calendar or a planner and arrive prepared. After all, it’s better to get your assignments done for when they’re actually due than to have to make them up later because you forgot about them.
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Meal Time = You Time
It’s often easy to be tempted to grab a granola bar in the morning and then pick up a California Roll from Cox Hall while rushing to your 1 PM class. But if you have some extra time before your first class or in between classes, why not text a friend and see if she’s available to share a meal with you? Eating meals with friends is a great opportunity to take a break from thinking about classes and catch up on what’s going on in everyone else’s lives. While it’s often hard to admit that you have 30 minutes to spare when you’re drowning in work, let’s be real — we can’t deny that we’re going to end up procrastinating and wasting those 30 minutes somewhere else. Take an actual break rather than a few little ones!
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Make Time to Reorganize
At this point in the semester, our beautifully organized notebooks and binders often end up holding floating papers that are messy and out of date order. Having a disorganized notebook might be easier for the time being because you don’t have to find more time to put everything in its place, but ultimately disorganization will only waste more of your time when it comes time for the test. Try taking five minutes out of your night when you get back from your day to make sure your papers are in place. You already have to worry about learning all the material for the test; why give yourself more work on top of that?
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Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people get A’s.
Not all of us love working out. It seems like an energy-sucker, but it’s actually quite the opposite. When you’re tired, even a short workout at the gym releases endorphins that will get your energy levels back up and get you ready to take on the rest of your day. For naturally early risers, the morning is a great time to head over to the WoodPEC because it usually isn’t as busy as peak times during the middle of the day and right before dinnertime. There’s a workout for everyone, so there definitely is no reason to make excuses. The ellipticals and treadmills are always a popular choice, but if you’re not into the traditional workout, try attending a Zumba, cycling, or kickboxing class. These classes are never the same, so it’s a good way to keep your workout varied and exciting.
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Every Girl Needs Her Beauty Rest
It seems obvious, but we often forget that sleep is a key way to lower our stress levels. As college students, it’s easy for us to be tempted to pull all-nighters and set alarms for early mornings to finish our work. The problem is, this leads to an endless cycle of exhaustion that has made falling asleep in class an extremely common phenomenon. The fact of the matter is that if you’re exhausted during class, you’re only going to end up staying up later that trying to teach yourself information from a lecture you were barely mentally present for. Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night to avoid this, or at least take naps during the day. Naps are a productive way to get some relief and energy in between classes or before starting work for the night.
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Try utilizing some of these tips to get through one of the toughest times of the year. There’s no doubt that we all do well and enjoy our lives more when we’re relaxed, so do yourself a favor and give yourself the break you need.