It is November! The weather is a little cooler and Thanksgiving is right around the corner which means Winter break is near too. Life should be good right? Well, for college students, this is a stressful time. We just got through midterms and now we are worrying about final exams, projects, or papers. Not to mention, the motivation factor is gone; we are tired and ready for it to be over. In this article, I want to give tips on how to finish strong as well as how to prevent the slump for next semester.
Tip #1: Pace out your assignments
It is easy during this time to want to be like “forget it, one zero won’t hurt” but, it does. Short story time, in my freshmen year I was taking a quite easy class that was for a university pre-requisite. I skipped my last assignment because I saw I would get a grade that would still round to an A-. Come to look at my grades, she did not round and that is one of two B’s I have gotten in all my college career. Do not be me! Look at all the assignments you have left to do and plan it out, so it does not affect your Thanksgiving break and prevents last-minute cramming for an exam or paper-writing.
Tip #2: Pace out your studying
You cannot do your best if your brain does not feel its best. Being cooped up in the library for eight hours is not ideal nor is it healthy, that goes for all majors (yes, even pre-med, engineering, etc.) If you must do a long study session, try out the pomodoro method which is 25 minutes of no-distraction studying then a 5-minute break. Do that three times then get a longer break (between 15-20 minutes). It lets your brain breathe, which is key. Also, try switching your study spots; try going outside or even to a different part of the house. Let Thanksgiving be a no-studying day; be present with your loved ones!
Tip #3: Self-care is key
To ace all those exams, papers, and assignments, you need to be in your best mindset, physically and mentally. Get those eight hours of sleep! Your body needs rest, especially during highly stressful times like finals. Take time to do things that make you happy, outside of school. Have a spa day, take a walk, hang out with friends. Something that helps you take your mind off the deadlines. Doing something little everyday really makes a difference!
Tip #4: Start strong
The end-of-semster slump is not inevitable but, it is common. My freshmen year teacher gave me advice that I live by which is to really be on top of work the first 8 weeks of the new semester. No late assignments and producing quality work. After that, you can coast so when that slump comes, at least you have a solid foundation. Not condoning late assignments (we are all A girlies) but things happen, and you would rather have a solid foundation than already have a low grade and then also missing assignments.
I hope you got something out of this article, and I wish you all a great last month of the semester! Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years is almost among us :)