There is something about finals week that can cause a student to lose themselves. Most of us suffer from crippling stress and are getting by on abnormal amounts of caffeine and prayer. This past week, I suffered from two and a half mental breakdowns and emotional stress that made me feel like I wasn’t really living in the real world. Everything was vaguely passing by and I felt I was in a daze. I was getting the usual amount of sleep, but the mental exhaustion was really taking its toll. If you have felt similarly, here are a few things to try to get yourself out of your rut.
1. Do something you usually enjoy
When you don’t feel like you, you don’t feel like doing the things you would normally enjoy doing because you’re not you, but a vague fog of who you are. Understand? Sometimes doing something that you normally really enjoy could be a jumpstart to lift you from the fog. Even better, you can try out new hobbies if you grow to resent everything you normally love. Try backpacking? Or maybe hiking? Or if you were an outdoorsy person, have you ever considered staying inside and bingeing a Netflix series?
2. Spend time with people who you can be yourself around
Sometimes you can’t get out of the rut on your own. Honestly speaking, you might not want to. It’s almost a blissful state compared to the mental and emotional stress you might be facing. It’s important to know that you don’t have to wade through this stress on your own. Friends who know you well can remind you of who you are by calling out the traits in you they know will help you push through. It’s true that we are our own worst critics, but great friends will be your biggest fans.
3. Go to sleep
You may actually need to rest physically. Don’t take this as a surprise, but the body actually does need time to rest and recuperate. I know, sometimes you have so much to do that you don’t want to sleep, but when you get to this point of feeling lost inside yourself and begin to question why you’re even still bothering to exist and trying to get a degree, you probably need to sleep. Now, if you’re having trouble sleeping, you can try praying yourself to sleep, which is something I do often. Lay with your eyes closed in a comfortable position and just pray for however long it takes for you to sleep. If this doesn’t work, exercise is my next favorite thing. Something simple but tiring like planks, flutter kicks, or jump squats could work. If nothing else works, at least lay with your eyes closed and pretend to be asleep. It’s like a force shutdown.
4. Make a list
I love making lists. They are so satisfying! You can cross things off or check them off, make them as simple or as pretty as you’d like and organize them how you’d like! The best part about them is that with each task completed, you get a small surge of accomplishment. My tip is: in the midst of the big things, add some small tasks like ‘do laundry’ or ‘eat a salad’ because when you accomplih them you still get that sense of accomplishment so your day will feel fulfilling.
5. Curl up in a ball and cry
Crying is wonderful. There’s something relieving about crying. If you have never just laid down and had a good cry, then you’re really missing out. Afterward, you can normally have really great naps and you’ll get those feelings out of your system. Crying is refreshing and if the stress is making you want to cry, just do it. Cry. Cry like your credits have been lost and you have to start your degree over again.
6. Take a long hot shower and pamper yourself
Great thoughts come in the shower, it’s a scientific fact. You can shave, use your fancy body wash with your poof, use a body scrub, sing, or just let the scalding water torch you. Sure, it’s not good for your skin, but whatever, you’ll get more in a few weeks, right? Besides that, this comic really has a fantastic idea of pampering. A whole pizza and quality television with Gordon Ramsay yelling at moronic restaurant owners? Always, yes.
7. Dress better than you feel
I know, you just want to wear your most comfortable (and probably worst looking) clothes to match how you feel. You feel like hot garbage so you want to wear a hoodie even when it’s ninety degrees outside, not brush your hair, and do a real messy bun (not the ones that look nice). Why don’t you try being hot in a different way? Pull out your killer outfit, slide on your favorite shoes, put on a little makeup, or whatever else makes you feel like that baddest chick on the block. Dressing better than you feel will lift your spirits. Sure, you may be withering away inside, but at least you look and feel good while succumbing to your inevitable demise.