This time of the semester is honestly the worst. It's not like finals season, where the stress is unmeasurable but you have a few days off to parse things through. Everything is happening all at once. I feel you. Here is a compilation of 50 things to try if you're miserable/having trouble getting through this week!
1. Take a deep breath.
2. Go get your favorite food.
3. Call a friend.
4. Call your therapist.
5. Don't quarantine yourself in your room; take breaks!
6. Set reasonable goals to get through small amounts of a larger task.
7. Find a study space that actually feels good. No pressure to hole up in Mugar if you'd rather study in the Law Cafe or get free coffee from the Science and Engineering library or Pickering (you're welcome).
8. Leave yourself half an hour/an hour before you go to sleep to actually unwind. Write in a journal, listen to a podcast.
9. Energize your time off! Or don't! Walking from place to place, whether that be from your apartment to campus or to the library is some great time to do whatever makes you feel calm and ~together~. Personally, I'm a fan of listening to this Buffy the Vampire Slayer podcast to get a few laughs in between suffering (studying) sessions. If you like the silence instead, relish in it!
10. Keep things in perspective. Yeah, I guess doing "well" in "school" kinda matters, but at the end of the day, you're worth way more than that.
11. Make a to-do list with small things like making coffee or sending that email. Actually use it. Checking things off feels good.
12. Run away from your problems for a bit. Take a break to do something you love, whether that be enjoying the rare 60 degree day outside or watching an episode of your favorite show that you've seen seven times.
13. Exercise if you find it helps you! A lot of folks say it helps with concentration. (I'm sure there's science there somewhere, but this one has never really worked for me. Gym time = pre-nap time for me.)
14. Pet a dog.
15. But if you're actually in need of behavioral health services, don't just pet a dog. Therapy saves lives!
16. Call your mom/a relative!
17. Take a nap.
18. Did I say take a deep breath? Take a deep breath.
19. Wait also remember to let it out I don't want to get sued
20. Remind yourself it's only halfway through the semester! This is not the be all end all.
21. Get enough sleep. Whatever that means to you. Running on 2 hours isn't good for anyone though.
22. Give yourself things to look forward to when you finish assignments, papers, or exams!
23. Turn errands into activities! Limited time? Go grocery shopping with a friend. Go grocery shopping with your significant other. Guys, grocery shopping is a great activity to do with other people.
24. Make sure to eat! It can be easy to forget that there are Person Things that you have to do to be a functioning human, and you need nourishment!!
26. Remind yourself that your productivity does not determine your worth!
27. Find a recipe you are interested in trying and take a study break by whipping up something delicious (might I suggest, https://www.hotforfoodblog.com/)
28. Yes, the science really does support that writing things down helps with memory retention.
29. Mnemonics for memorization!
30. Spend time with your friends! Breaks are good and give you a chance to reset.
31. Congratulate yourself for "small" accomplishments.
32. Use your student ID to check out some of Boston's museums.
33. Tidy up your workspace. One more thing to check off the to-do list, but a cluttered desk is a cluttered mind :/
34. All that research about too much screen time being bad for sleep... Maybe spend the last bit of time you're awake writing in a journal or reading a book.
35. Get some sunlight! If it ever comes out!
36. Blocks of 40-50 minutes of studying are usually more effective that just sitting and cramming for hours on end.
37. Some people are good at studying in basements, but basements get sad. Make sure to see the sun/the light of the Outside for a bit if you're feeling groggy.
38. Positive affirmations! You are working hard & you definitely know more than you think you do :)
39. Be kind to yourself!! American university culture is overly competitive and comparing yourself to others won't do you any good.
40. ~Mindfulness~. Maybe do some stretches or yoga or meditation if you're into that. Get back into your body!
41. Focus on progress, not perfection.
42. Go to office hours with questions! Email your TFs!
43. Sleep.
44. Please sleep.
45. Know your caffeine limits. Yeah, it works, but it's not worth messing up your sleep schedule for.
46. Please don't stress eat an entire family size bag of salt and vinegar chips in one sitting. Speaking from experience here.
47. All-nighters are not great for memory and concentration, so be careful!
48. If you struggle with time management, the ERC has workshops!
49. Ever seen those adult coloring books? Good for relaxation and winding down.
50. Remind yourself that you're going to make it through the next few weeks and it'll be okay. This is true because I am speaking it into the world and I am never wrong.
Good luck on midterms y'all, see you after break!
XOXO,
PK
Thanks to: my disaster brain, The Odyssey, Times Higher Education, the Daily Titan, Daniel Wong, Red and Black, and Mental Health America for these tips.
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