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We are officially in the middle of the fall semester. That can only mean one thing: midterms. I can’t speak for everyone, but most everyone I know, present company included, have been drowning in exams, projects, presentations and extracurricular activities. The most prevalent feelings I have observed in myself and others have been stress. That being said, I think it’s high time I did another mental health check in.
With it feeling like everything is happening all at the same time, I want to provide a guide for how to deal with the stress and how to get through this dreaded period of the semester.
First and foremost, I would recommend making a list of all the things that are due within the next week and have them written down in order of due date. This helps to better visualize what needs to be done by when. Outside of that, I like to do quick and easy tasks between larger ones as a form of procrastination. For example, if I have a big presentation due Wednesday, but I also have one simple assignment due Tuesday and two others on Thursday, instead of procrastinating by scrolling on my phone or something I will complete one of those assignments. It allows me to take a break from what I’m working on and still get something done.
I try to make as much progress during the day as possible with my work so that I can have the evening to unwind and use for myself. That is not always possible for everyone. It’s not always easy to find time for oneself. My suggestion is to make a to-do list for the day and get as much done as possible as early as possible. For me, the small tasks instead of procrastinating helps with that a lot.
That is not to say that you should never take breaks. Taking a break is healthy and a requirement to mental sanity. Please take breaks as needed. But there is a difference between taking a break and just procrastinating.
That being said, being brain fried doesn’t do anyone any good. I never ever encourage people to pull an all-nighter. It is better to do what you can and go to bed at a reasonable time. Getting a good night’s sleep and waking up a little earlier to keep working, is a much better way to make sure you can retain more information and do better on an exam or presentation.
I urge everyone to be gentle with yourselves during this time. Take things one step at a time and please take some time to keep yourselves sane. It’s okay to take a break. It’s okay to do what you need to do. Get enough sleep and nourish your bodies appropriately. Good luck to everyone with their exams and projects.
