Recently I just have not been feeling enough. Instability runs rampant inside my head every time someone asks me my major. I’m constantly reminded of fellow classmates receiving awards, securing internships, meanwhile I spent eight hours in bed the other day watching and rewatching the same exact show.
Finals week is approaching, which means attempting to get it together by the end of the semester, academically and emotionally. It can get tough when you need to decide on a minor but haven’t been feeling yourself.
Here are 10 tips for the fellow struggling college student.
1. Meet with your advisor.
There are so many great resources on campus that don’t get the credit they deserve. Usually key points in any campus college tour, there are countless professionals willing to help you on your academic career path. I decided to check out IC’s Academic Advising Center mid-minor declaring crisis, and was not only pleased after my visit but motivated for my academic pursuit.
2. Get ahead on your work so you can set time for stress-free chill time.
Get your emails in order, your homework assignments in at the beginning of the week, and all your readings done before the weekend ends. You will literally fall in love with yourself when it’s Thursday night and you have seemingly little to no work to do. This always makes me feel like I know how to manage my time so I can procrastinate guilt free the next week.
3. Resist that imaginary cartoon cocoa bean on your shoulder telling you that you need another coffee. You don’t, and it’s definitely making you more anxious.
I drink two to three cups of coffee every day, and get disappointed come four o’clock when I think I’m having a stroke and the stroke is devising an evil plan with imaginary stomach ulcer to take me out during dinner. Put the coffee down, drink some decaf for taste and have an apple, homie.
4. Get some new scenery once in a while.
It can grow boring staring at the same pictures on your desk for hours on hours when you’re halfway through a research paper. The library can become monotonous and even distracting. It can be beneficial to switch up your study space every once in a while. Experiencing new scenery, when studying or reading material can actually improve how well you remember it.
5. Get to sleep at a decent hour.
In high school, I would stay awake until four in the morning, then struggle to wake up and make it to class by 7:30 AM. I cannot tell you how glad I am that stopped. If I had learned anything from this past semester, it is that sleep is important. Since I started routinely going to bed around ten or eleven (okay yeah this is early for college students), I haven’t had the urge to nap. And napping makes for very hazy and lazy days.
6. Clean up your digital life.
All those bulky files from your freshman year environmental health ICC course definitely aren’t helping your laptop prevent any crashes. Cleaning up your smartphone and laptop every once in a while is a great way to rid you of unneeded stuff that only takes up precious data space.
7. It’s completely okay to just do you, for however long it takes to progress. You will get there.
Truth is, no one has their shit together. We all just make it look like we do. It’s fine to admit that you’re unsure about where things are heading, and going for the flow can be exactly what you need.
8. Perk up your resume.
It’s always a good idea to rummage through the depths of your Macintosh and blow some dust off that resume you haven’t updated…well, since you last updated it. And that may or may not have been when you actually first wrote it.
9. Read a good book or keep a journal.
Nothing is as refreshing as indulging in some good literature. Or if you’re like me and tend to keep your emotions simmering at the edges of your insides, writing helps alleviate some of that internal struggle. Getting caught up in a good book is perfect for when you want to escape reality, and like reading, keeping a journal can help you sort out your visceral priorities.
10. Relax. You're doing fine.
It’s time to give yourself credit. No matter how far off the track you think you are, you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.
