Midterms can be one of the most stressful parts of college, sometimes even more than finals. There are usually several large projects, essays, or exams happening at once and you still have to juggle attending your classes in the midst of it. To avoid burnout, here are some things you can do during midterms season that prioritize your mental health and well being.
1. Try a yoga practice
There is plenty of research out there to suggest that yoga improves both physical and mental well being, and there are tons of youtube videos of yoga routines that you never have to leave your apartment or dorm for to complete. Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed, I've found that even just doing a 20 minute routine allows me to reset and focus on accomplishing my tasks rather than being anxious about them. You can also do any other exercise routine you prefer, but I've just found yoga to be the most relaxing.
2. Cook a nice meal for yourself
When you're busy, it's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and pick up food from a drive thru or order Doordash, but cooking yourself a meal can be therapeutic and fuels your body with something healthy. Or even if you don't feel like cooking yourself a particularly healthy meal, sometimes just picking up a box of mix and baking some quick brownies will give you a nice break and dessert to look forward to.
3. Make a sleeping schedule and stick to it
Even without midterms, its common for college students to not sleep nearly as much as they should, but continuously doing this will burn you out. Every person has different sleeping needs, but you should definitely be prioritizing to get at least 6 hours every night. Getting better sleep will almost always result in better overall test scores and productivity, so stop losing sleep over those assignments!
4. Plan an event to look forward to after midterms are over
Sometimes the worst part of midterms is the mental block of knowing you wont get an immediate break afterwards. The end of the semester is so close, but also so far. As soon as your last big midterm exam is over, plan a weekend or day trip with your friends. It can give you some motivation to get those projects done early and crush those exams.
Good luck on your exams, and remember to take care of yourself!
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