We are in the last hours of the semester. Finals are just around the corner and things have never been more hectic. You know that summer is only a few short weeks away, but to get there you have to get through tests, projects, papers and presentations. All of a sudden the time you thought you had to do everything is gone, and it is crunch time.

For me, when all the pressure hits like a ton of bricks, the first thing I do is shut down. I don’t want to do anything, go anywhere, or see anyone. This slump hits and it turns into a pattern of stress and procrastination. I keep putting off my responsibilities, saying to myself “I’ll do this when I’m not so stressed.” The problem then becomes that the more I put things off the more stressed I am and so I continue to put things off. This spiral can continue on and affect every part of your life. When I am in this slump that I don’t want to go out and have fun because in my mind I don’t have the time to go because of all the work that needs to be done. The reality of the situation is I end up sitting at home watching a full season of Friends rather than study or go out. It can feel like you’re never going to get out of the house again, digging you into an even bigger rut.

Getting yourself out of this end of the semester slump isn’t easy, but it is possible. The hardest step is deciding you want to change. You have to get up in the morning, make your bed, eat breakfast, and decide that today you will be productive. Putting on “real clothes,” instead of opting for an ensemble that could pass as pajamas, will put you in a mindset to work rather than rest. Start with the little things, organize your work space, clean your room, run a few errands. Going to the gym is another to perk yourself up. The physical activity will make you feel better and will help jump start your day. Find a friend to do some of this with you, and keep you accountable. Doing these things will help you pick up some positive momentum and keep you from burning out and starting the slump cycle over again.

It’s important to focus on what you can do and not on the impossible. Just because you can’t do everything, doesn’t mean you should do nothing. Take life one day at a time, focusing on the highs and pushing away the lows. Don’t let yourself be discouraged if you feel like the process of change is taking too long. If you commit to making a change, it will happen eventually, it just takes time. Keep your head up and your spirits high as these last few weeks come to a close. So in the infamous words of Nike and Shia Labeouf “Just Do It.”