The fall semester is underway and we’re preparing to kick it into high gear. We all know how stressful it can be and at some point, we vowed to make this coming semester better than the last one. So here are some tips to make the semester less stressful.
1. Organize yourself.
It sucks to think about the 20-page paper you’ll have due during finals week. But what sucks even more, is waiting last minute, and your grade will show it. To eliminate some stress from your life, find out the deadlines and don’t forget about them. Carry around a planner, organize your dates and prioritize your schedule in order to make the most out of your down time.
2. Don’t forget to get sleep
There’s no amount of homework that’s worth pulling an all-nighter. In return, the lack of sleep can have a negative effect on our health. All those late nights will finally add up and catch up with your body, you’ll feel run down and completely over your studies. Get some more sleep and you’ll be able to keep up with the rest of us.
3. Stop binge watching Netflix.
Next one, next one, turn it off! I’m absolutely obsessed with Netflix and I’m a pro-binge watcher, which is a major problem. But we have to put an end to these obsessions. It’s not easy, but it’s worth capping our binge watching sessions so we can stay on top of our game and make those due dates.
4. Eat green
Gummy bears are amazing but they do nothing except make us gain weight. You should cut out the junk and start incorporating healthier options. Junk food wears us down and while leafy greens may not be tasteful, they give us energy and help us out in the long run.
5. Stay active
It finally makes sense now, the reason your campus offers free gym classes is for two reasons. One reason is to help you fight back the freshman 15 and the other is to help you fight off the stress during the semester. Even if you don’t like working out, it’s an important part in maintaining your lifestyle.
6. Budget wisely
After buying our new textbooks for the semester, our bank accounts are immediately affected after the big hit. To preserve whatever dollar bills we have left, we have to make a few financial changes. Some easy changes include eating out less and bringing your own food for lunch, walking more instead of paying for public transportation, eliminating monthly subscriptions and even searching for free events and entertainment in your neighborhood. By cutting back on spending and even finding ways to reduce necessary costs, you won’t have to worry about a financial burden during the semester.
7. Prioritize your time
It’s very easy to become trapped in your social life. We all love to go out, party and have fun. After all, those can become some of the best memories you’ll make in college. But we came here to learn, study and get a degree and we have to make sure that we put the same amount of time, or even more, for our studies. Setting up a clear calendar with important deadlines is a great way to visualize dates and help you organize your valuable time.
8. Read a book
Of course, you should read your textbook for your upcoming classes but you should also read a book for pleasure. Reading for pleasure is a great way to distract yourself and relieve some stress. Whenever you’re commuting, eating lunch or have a break between classes, using that time to read your book can provide relaxation and help with your productivity.
9. Clean your space
Nothing is worse than coming home to a bed covered in clothes and a desk piled high with books and loose papers. Having a mess creates a distracting environment and can add even more chaos to your desk. By simply throwing out old books and school materials and giving away old clothes, you can slowly eliminate the excess clutter in your life.
10. Use your resources
There are resources on campus such as a career center, tutoring, academic advising and so much more. You’re paying for these resources in your tuition; use them up to your advantage.
11. Have fun
After all the hard work, we still deserve to have fun. You always should take a break from the hard parts during the semester, but we definitely shouldn’t lose track. It doesn’t hurt to go out or try something new. Just remember that after the weekend comes a new week and as quickly as we could party hard, we have to study even harder.