The dreaded two and a half weeks between Thanksgiving and winter break have arrived. Trying to balance studying for finals, spending time with friends before our long winter break, and taking care of ourselves, all while avoiding burnout, feels impossible. This is normally the time of year when I feel like a walking zombie and am running on fumes. However, this year I’m preparing early to enjoy these last few weeks of the semester before I go home until February. Here are my top three tips that I’m incorporating into my routine to avoid the end-of-semester scaries.
Moving my body
I try to make sure I’m moving my body all throughout the semester, but I find that this time of year specifically, I tend to ditch my workouts to spend more time on homework instead. Making sure that I prioritize my body and not just my homework is super important during the end of the semester so I can clear my mind. I try to wake up early or find downtime during the day to step away from studying or writing papers to move my body. Something as simple as going for a quick walk around my neighborhood makes a huge difference in my stress levels and even helps with sleeping. I am also trying to incorporate more group fitness classes at the Recreation Center since they are a great way to get a workout in while being around an empowering group of people. Making sure I’m prioritizing moving my body for at least 30 minutes a day is a great way to prevent myself from getting burned out and really make sure that I enjoy these last few weeks of my last fall semester (cries in senior).
Scheduling time with friends
I know this sounds crazy, but with all my finals, papers, and projects that I have to complete during this time of the semester, it feels like I’ll never be able to see my friends ever again. Finding time that works for my friends and I to see each other outside of doing homework together is vital for my mental health. The best cure for a stressful week is spending time with my favorite people doing something fun! Getting to see a movie or even just get food with my friends helps me ensure that I’m not spending too much time at my desk and that I’m doing something with people who make me happy. Being around my favorite people as much as I can really helps me mentally and allows me to soak up all the time I can get with them before we are separated for winter break.
Meal Prepping (mentally or physically)
When stressing out about all the work I must do, the last thing I want to do is figure out what I’m cooking for dinner. I really like to meal prep when I know I have a stressful week ahead of me, but sometimes even that can feel like a lot. When I’m really overwhelmed, I like to mentally prep meals, which means planning out simple, healthy-ish meals that will make me happy! This list includes easy pasta dishes or something fun I’ll be motivated to make. I’m not a big cook, but this is just another example of self-care that really helps me get through the week. Sometimes when I have a lot of work due, eating feels like a chore, and preparing meals drastically changes my stress.
As we enter these next few weeks, hopefully you can incorporate some aspects of self-care into your daily routine and take care of yourself! Enjoying the last few weeks of the fall semester before our long break is super important, and finding that perfect balance between school and fun is crucial. Fingers crossed, some of these tips are helpful and we all make it through finals season with amazing grades and lots of fun.
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