This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UW Lax chapter.

The spooky season of Halloween is upon us, carving pumpkins, bingeing scary movies, corn mazes, and all, but with that comes the season of midterms. College is stressful enough on its own daily grind of homework, but then with all of these exams getting thrown in, it can become seemingly unbearable. You may have a brief moment of tears and calling your mom saying you need to drop out, but then pull yourself together because it is possible to not only survive but thrive!

Since studying Recreational Management, I have learned the importance of leisure activities. I always saw the self-care tweet and insta posts, but never took action. Leisure and self-care are so important. Leisure can lower stress levels in the moment and over time, improve your mood, get you active, keep your mind focuses, and so much more. It is so important that you don’t spend the whole day or a few days prior cramming to study for your exam. You won’t retain the info well, and it will make you even more stressed. Instead take a break, reward yourself for what you have accomplished, and stay positive! If you are an extrovert, you should definitely do social activities with friends, and if you are an introvert, remember to take some time by yourself for yourself.

1. Be healthy!

Now, by being healthy I don’t just mean to eat lettuce and go to the gym every day, but just take care of your body so you can grasp all the information you are processing and your mind can be at its peak. Drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep. You may think you need to stay up all hours of the night studying, drinking caffeine, and well… more studying. In the end, it will be better for both you and your grades to space out studying, take breaks, and do some leisure. And all that coffee is dehydrating you, so keep drinking water!

Also, UW-La Crosse has an amazing recreational facility, so check out the fitness class schedule and go to a Zumba class or take a walk by yourself or with friends down to the marsh near Myrick Park.

2. Treat yourself!

You’ve been studying and focused hard for the past few hours, treat your self to a spooky, seasonal Starbucks drink or something special you like. You deserve it!

3. Spa moment!

Get the girls and guys together and have a fun, little spa night. Make some DIY face and hair masks, throw on some tunes, paint your nails, and talk about life or put on a fun Halloween movie. With your studying and late nights, I am sure you have been neglecting that skincare routine and need a refresher!

4. Dog shelter!

Who doesn’t love dogs? I hope the answer is no one. You can take a trip to your local shelter and play around with the cute pups or take the dogs for a walk. If you’re lucky, your campus might even bring dogs to campus which is great! I know in college, I miss spending time with my dog at home so this can be a great alternative and perfect stress reliever.

5. Baking!

Go buy some of those Pillsbury Pumpkin or Ghost Shape Sugar Cookies. They are super cheap and easy to make, plus they are so cute!

6. Social Media cleanse!

I recently went on a hiatus from social media because it was taking up so much of my study time which was making me beyond stressed. This could be beneficial with many exams coming up, to take a break from media and take time to talk in person with people or do a little extra studying. May even give meditating a try if you havent before. It is great for the mind to work on focus and keep the brain active. Also, a great study place I have found is the cute little coffee shop called the Root Note in downtown La Crosse. Definitely check it out when you need to switch it up to form studying in your dorm, the union, or the library.

I wish you the bestest luck on all your midterms. You got this!

Self Care.. Yes, you deserve it!