Dead week is upon us. It's the week before Finals Week for students in the US. If you're in high school, you feel it. If you're in college, you definitely feel it. But chances are, you don't talk about it.

If Dead Week was was a person, he'd be the forgotten little brother, a quiet concern, consistently overshadowed by his big, menacing, havoc-wreaking, fear-inducing older brother called Finals Week. Finals Week likes to throw students into hysterics with his demands, his looming presence, his serious demeanor and undeniable self importance. He demands your hard work, your effort, he takes your sleep and he gives you little in return. Little Dead Week lives in constant fear of Finals Week. So do you. Finals Week and Dead Week are those two brothers no one likes, but everyone puts up with out of fear and necesity.

But let's give Dead Week a little attention. It's a time where anxieties run high and sleep runs low. And if you're like most students, you're beginning to obsess over finals. You have papers due. Projects. Presentations. The semester is coming to a close and it feels as all your work is crushing in around you. And all the while the clock is ticking. It feels as if you're watching a race between time and all the work you need to get done to see which goes by faster. And time is winning. In short, you're stressed and you're beginning to feel it.

But I urge you during this time to love yourself. Hear me out.

Treat Your Body and Brain with Respect.

Skipping sleep is hard on your body. But skipping sleep is often necessary to do well on exams and projects. So logically, doing well on exams and projects is inherently hard on your body. But it doesn't have to be. Providing your body with nutritious foods, like vegetables, fruits, and proteins can help you stay focused when you aren't getting enough sleep. Don't skip meals because you think you need the time to study. Take 30 minutes out of your day to grab a healthy meal with a friend. Of course don't hang around the dining for three hours socializing when you have piles of homework. But taking those 30 minutes to eat will give you an important study break and time to socialize. Skipping meals and isolating yourself after losing sleep is disrespectful to your body and mind. Face it, you need social time. Love yourself.

Build Yourself up on Pride, Not Self-Doubt.

During the end of the semester, it's easy to question your life as a student: "Is my GPA good enough?", "Will my grades drop?", "Will my professors be disappointed if I don't do well?", and dozens of other anxiety inducing speculations. And yes, anxiety is beneficial. It makes us work hard and keeps us from placidly slacking off or doing the bare minimum. But instead of constantly questioning whether your work is good enough or whether your GPA is good enough, take a moment and think about all that you are doing. You're a student. You're putting in hours of effort. You're showing up. You're trying. And that's more than a lot of people can say. Now I'm not saying you should get cocky or egotistical, but take a moment to reflect on yourself and do it with pride. Don't let self-doubt keep you from getting your work done. Love yourself.

Eliminate Time Guilt

I struggle with this. Chances are, other colleges students do as well. I'm referring to time guilt as the feeling when you have projects or tests looming ahead and you begin to feel guilty during almost all of the time you spend not studying. When I workout, I feel guilty. When I watch my favorite Netflix show before bed, I feel guilty. When I chat with a friend for too long at the dining hall, I feel guilty. It's not overwhelming, but it is ever-present and I'm doing my best to eliminate it.

The fact of the matter is, unless you're one of a very small, possibly nonexistent percentage of elite students who can study for all waking hours, you need breaks. You need variety. You need time to socialize or to nurture your hobbies and the things you enjoy. Of course, during dead week and finals week, you will need to increase the amount of time you spend studying, which of course means perhaps you need to eliminate some of your Netflix time or your social time. That is simply learning to be responsible. But I urge you and I urge myself to take an hour or two each day, at least, for non-school related, enjoyable things, like running, or watching a movie, or talking on the phone and to not feel guilty while doing it. Time spent doing enjoyable things is not time wasted. Balance your studying and free time. Love yourself.

I recently watched the film Fantastic Beasts. Eddie Redmayne's character, Newt Scamander, notorious for his awkward, yet intelligent demeanor and relentless perserverance, says "My philosophy is - you worry, you suffer twice". Apply this to Dead Week and Finals Week. Eliminate your worries, get your work done, keep calm, and most importantly, love yourself.