Congratulations, Princetoniennes! You’ve survived midterms and made it halfway through the semester! But it doesn’t end here… we still have six more weeks to get through. To keep you sane, here’s a list of things that will help in surviving the rest of the fall semester at the best ol’ place of all.
Sleep, sleep, sleep
Sleep is incredibly important. We all got bombarded by emails during midterms week about how dangerous going for long stretches without sleep is bad for your health and your grades. Studies show that pulling all-nighters are the equivalent of sleep deprivation, and should be avoided at all costs. Even though the worst is over, we still have problem sets and papers to write, so it’s pertinent to remember that your health comes first. If you are anxious and think that you will have to pull an all-nighter to finish an assignment, contact your professor/preceptor (a bit in advance!) to ask for an extension. Just think of how much clearer you will be able to think with a few hours of sleep under your belt.
Exercise
Along the same lines, don’t forget to keep your body happy by exercising and eating healthy. Some of us may have fallen off the wagon during midterms week and fall break, but there’s still time to get back on and feel great about yourself! Exercise can reverse stress, lift you out of depression, and improve learning, among many other things. If it’s too cold for you to run outside (or if that’s just not your thing), try going to the gym or attending a free yoga class in your res college by the Princeton Yoga Club. There are tons of options and no excuses!
Plan until finals
Nothing beats finishing off the fall semester on a good note. One way to ensure that is to know what is expected of you and to make an action plan of how to achieve it. Go back over your syllabi to see if there are any remaining assignments before winter break, and set dates on a calendar to strategize and put it all into perspective. You should also know what your Dean’s Date/finals schedule looks like, so you can figure out how you’re going to tackle those three papers and two exams (or whatever unfortunate combination thereof). Getting ahead on assignments definitely pays off in the long run. Finally, check out the McGraw Center for really useful academic tips on time management, independent work, and much, much more.
Relax!
Don’t forget to enjoy your time at this wonderful place we call home. Now that you don’t have to worry about that English essay or COS midterm, remember to make time for yourself and relax! There are tons of amazing things going on at Princeton, so check out the Student Events Calendar for something fun to do with friends (or by yourself!) on a Friday or Saturday night.
Don’t lose motivation
Last, but not least, remind yourself as to why you’re taking your courses and what is interesting about them! It’s natural to lose steam after fall break, and it can be hard to will yourself to continue to be engaged in class. This girl has some pretty good tips on how to motivate yourself to study, but my favorite way to keep going is by talking to someone or writing down a list of things that you love about your courses. Try it out!
Have any tips to share? Comment below or email me at kbushko@!