Let’s face it, it’s that time of year again: Hell Week. These days, the weather is warmer, determination is harder to muster and the smell of coffee is coming out of everyone’s room. Not to worry! All of those all-nighters will eventually pay off when you see your final grade and realize you are one semester closer to never having to write a paper ever again. If you're wondering how you're going to make it to the end of the semester, here are seven tips on surviving this year's Hell Week.
1. Don’t worry about what you’re wearing.
Yoga pants, knotted hair and that beat-up old sweatshirt your dad wore when he was in college are the perfect outfit for Hell Week. If your roommate doesn’t comment on a “weird smell,” then it’s fair game. Trust me, everyone is going to look just as bad as you do.
2. Use, don’t abuse, coffee.
No one’s denying the importance of some good ol’ fashioned caffeine during those late night study sessions. But depend too much on this quick fix, and you’ll find yourself crashing harder than you planned. After all, “what goes up...”
3. The power of chocolate is not to be underestimated.
It’s that one thing, that no matter what, will always pick you up. Here’s a tip: Put your Hersey’s Bar in the freezer. Oh my holy amazingness.
4. Forget cheat day, welcome to cheat week.
I know you’ve been thinking about double stuffed Oreo’s from the beginning if the semester, so do it. Have one, two, who are you kidding, eat the whole damn thing. Who cares? It’s Hell Week. If this is the one thing that is going to make you feel better, then just do it and hope for the best.
5. Say goodbye to your dorm room and hello to the library.
Doing your homework in your room can be extremely dangerous, especially if you do your homework on your bed. Let’s be honest, you will get nothing done. Save yourself some self-loathing and go to the library. Remember, there is no shame in having a book shaped dent on your forehead.
6. Even though fashion isn’t a priority, hygiene is.
I promise you, no matter what stage of meltdown or deadline-induced panic attack you have reached, you always have time to take a shower. At this point, it could be the one thing that is keeping you awake after all the caffeine you've consumed.
7. No matter what Netflix tells you, you have to do your homework.
Taking a “break” to watch Netflix is probably not your best idea. “Just one more, and then I will start working” is the biggest lie you will tell yourself during Hell Week. Thirty episodes and two and a half seasons later, your paper still won't be done, and you'll be left with three hours to complete the six-page research paper you’ve been procrastinating from the start of the semester.
