Coming into college, I was always that naive girl who thought "dead week" was just a week where nothing went on and it was boring. I can’t even begin to tell you how wrong I was. As I got to my first dead week, I became so overwhelmed. I felt as if the things I needed to know for my finals, I didn't. I needed to cram a whole semesters worth of five classes into one week. I had three papers, two study guides, a project, and two online quizzes I had to do all in the time span of a week, as well as study for each of the classes. I didn't even know it was possible to be so stressed out in my life. As dead week kicked off I started noticing how bad things kept happening.
Over Thanksgiving break I dropped my phone into the ocean water and it was broken. I had no way to contact people, no way to know what was going on in my sorority, nothing. On Monday I wasn't paying attention while walking to class and ran into a sign. It was really embarrassing and left a bump on the side of my head. That night I went to the Colvin and while running the track upstairs, did something to my ankle. I was in so much pain and was fighting back the urge to cry. I could barely walk, but thankfully I lived in the commons right next to the Colvin.
Wednesday was when I finally had my first college mental breakdown. It started with making a cake. In the community kitchen, each girl is supposed to wash their own dishes. I went in with none of the dishes being washed, meaning I had to wash them if I wanted to use them. I made this cake with four other friends, and once it was finished, I started to clean up. I missed one dish and left it when I walked out. After that, I went to my dorm, grabbed my backpack and headed straight to the library. Once there, I started filling out my government study guide. The further into filling it out the more panicky I got. With my government class, attendance only matters in the discussion groups every Friday. So me being me, I had not been to one of the lecture classes since the second test we took. I didn't think it was effecting me because when the third exam came, I studied her power points and ended up making an 86 on the test. But going over the study guide I kept reading "as discussed in class." I wasn't there so I wouldn't know the answers. I started freaking out in my mind, but I didn't let it show. During my little panic attack, my friend got a message from our RA yelling at me for leaving the one dish in the sink, telling me I needed to take care of it as soon as I got back. I seriously could not believe I was getting yelled at for not washing one dish when I had washed a whole days’ worth of dishes. I knew that was my cue to leave. Leaving the library, I noticed while I was there, someone hit my car. My entire drivers side tail light was broken as well at my bumped having a dent in it. I realized it was something I had to get fixed almost immediately because the brake light was uncovered. In that moment, was when I had my first break down. Broke college kid, fits me very well. I have 40 dollars in my bank account, which I knew would not be enough to get it fixed. On top of that, I also had to drive from Stillwater to OKC Thursday to get a new phone. I was terrified to drive because I didn't want to get pulled over. I had no idea what to do.
I was awake at five that next Thursday trying to figure out how to pay for my car, and trying to calm myself down. I did the first thing I could think of, which was rant to my mom. I pulled up my email (keep in mind it’s the only way to contact her with no phone) and started writing away. I told her everything about my week, and cried a little while writing it. I just wanted and needed things to go my way, and they weren't which was only causing me to be more stressed out. Shortly after I sent the email, I fell asleep.
I woke up at later that morning to a message from my mom. My mom is one of the wisest people, and she always offers me great advice. Her message really made me feel better. Keeping all of which she said in mind, I made it through the rest of dead week with less stress, and no more mental break downs.
If you are stressed during dead week and things just aren't going your way, remember to take a step back and just breathe. You will obtain a lot more information if you aren't so stressed and freaking out. If bad things won’t stop, think positive. Ultimately there is a reason it’s happening and it will all be better in time. Stop thinking about the bad things and focus on the good. Don't let stress eat you away, because in the end, it’s you going to suffer. My mom was the one who saved me and made me feel so much better about everything. I realized that my mom was the ultimate stress relief so anytime I needed to distress and calm down, I would talk to my mom. Your mom will always be there for you in your time of need, and mine was.
