Now that we’ve finished our family celebrations of giving thanks and scarfing down large amounts of turkey, us students now have to come to terms with the blaring realization that the final round of school is dawning among us. Finals season occupies most of the remaining weeks in school, and it’s normal to finally start losing momentum to finish out the year. Especially with the mix of online classes, the routine of submitting assignments by a certain deadline may get repetitive over time (I know I’m finding it redundant myself). Along with the fact that we just finished our midterm season and are still riding off the high of adrenaline from pulling all-nighters, this upcoming finals season is going to be a tough one. The gloom of how different the holidays are going to be this year may also be a contributing factor.
With the ongoing effects of the pandemic growing serious, it is normal to lose hope in having an all-in-all great end to the year. It also may seem more difficult each time to maintain focus on schoolwork as we are so close and counting down the days until the end. We have been in this online format for far too long and trust me, we’re all deserving of a break. We’re all looking forward to all the intimate free time we’ll spend with our families this coming month. However, I say we end this year on one positive note: having one of the best academic records of your school career! There is still time to turn things around and make this a very proactive school year. There are just a few more weeks left and a little bit more momentum to catch, and with these few suggestions I’m sure the best outcome for you will arrive:
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Have a set time to wake up and fully energize to start your day. Working on a schedule will help you get more organized.
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Always have a cup of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa in the morning to take tension off of yourself and just relax.
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Make sure to have an active break. I always ride around my neighborhood on my scooter (with a mask on of course) so any type of physical activity that can get your blood flowing works. Running, walking, biking, etc.
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Taking brain breaks or naps for short increments of time. This is always great especially if you get frustrated from studying or feel burnt out after all the hard work you’ve been putting in. It is never a bad thing to take time for yourself by stepping back and monitoring your mental health.
As mentioned before, these next few weeks will be some of the most trying times for all of us. It’s important to remember that we must stay strong and have a positive outlook on all the work we can accomplish. If we have negative feelings and don’t believe we can accomplish things, they won’t happen. That being said, we need to foster a positive attitude in order to succeed.