Our dining dollars have run out, we’ve stopped sleeping, our laundry baskets are full, and it’s still cold out. We are officially in the final stretch.
This is the time when you start to question your existence more than usual and wonder how much your degree will actually be worth by the time you get it. So, from one tired college student to another, here’s my ultimate prone-to-succeed-but-not-entirely-healthy guide to surviving the last few weeks of spring semester:
- Caffeine is the Right Move…Always
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As much as I think that humans should not rely solely on coffee to get through the day, I strongly believe that crunch time is an exception. Most of the time, the only thing that can get me through my late nights at the library is when the Grind opens and I get my double espresso pick-me-up. If coffee isn’t your thing, get that caffeinated tea or soda and get crackin’.
- Get Some Good Music
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Different music for different occasions aside, I always find that I (like most other college students) need a good playlist to be playing all day – whether you need instrumental for those hours when you’re really pushin’ through, or if you need those voices and lyrics to lead you through the day. Lately, I’ve been fluctuating with my playlists and been vibing to a lot of Jessie Reyez to Mac Miller. For a lot of students, music can really help with concentration so we aren’t just blankly staring at Google Docs waiting for the essay to magically write itself.
- Take a Break or Else You May Actually Combust
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If you’re anything like me, you don’t need to be convinced that relaxation is necessary and important at the end of the semester. I personally, and unfortunately, seem to have no trouble finding a reason to take a break from my work, no matter how often. However, I know my friends are workaholics and I find myself constantly reminding them that it’s okay (and actually helpful!) to take a break. Even though you might find yourself swamped with research essays and reading responses that are weeks late, try to find some time to take a minute to rejuvenate and gather your thoughts. Take a walk, stare at a wall, watch an episode of that Netflix show you’ve been putting off for months. Staring at your computer screen for 6 hours won’t help you.
- Get Your Perspective Right
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The worst thing you can do for yourself is set unachievably high standards for your agenda each day. Don’t write down 11 things to do in your planner that each will take two hours. I am very guilty of this and know the struggle of having a full day of classes and then sitting down to start my homework and not being able to concentrate because of the countless hours I have ahead of me already booked for work. Try to only put the things you absolutely need to do that night into your planner so that you don’t look at it and get intimidated by the number of things you need to do. The more you can imagine yourself getting it all done in a specific period of time, the easier it will be to actually do it.
As much as these tips work for me, they won’t work for everyone. Try some new things to get your studying right and play around with what you think might help. Spring semester is tough but so are you. Keep pushing and grinding and get those grades you deserve so that by the time summer rolls around you’re ready to start being a functional human again!