We are now almost seven weeks into the semester, meaning that we’re pretty much halfway there! The good news: Thanksgiving break will be here faster that you can believe it. The bad news: the next two weeks are midterm weeks. I know personally that I am slammed with exams and essays spread out over the next week or two. If you’re not, consider yourselves lucky, but if you are here is some advice on how to not die of exhaustion and stress.
1. Actually try to get more than six hours of sleep a night.
While it may seem like a good idea to pull an all-nighter the night before the exam in order to cram all that information in your brain, it really is not. You won’t actually absorb most of the information you're trying to learn and by the time morning comes you’ll be so tired that you won’t even be able to focus on what the questions actually say.
2. Stop drinking coffee by 3 a.m., if not earlier.
I know it may seem like you still need that caffeine jolt but in reality you're just going to feel really crappy at four if your still guzzling caffeine. Try eating an apple instead and drinking a lot of water throughout the day to keep you alert and hydrated.
3. Eat something other than junk food.
Fruits and veggies along with whole grains and protein are really good for keeping your blood sugar up and making it easier for you to study and do well on exams. If you’re eating nothing but sugar and Ramen you’re going to crash halfway through the week.
4. Take a break from studying now and then.
It’s important to give your brain a rest every so often so your not overloaded and tired after only studying one subject. Give yourself a break and have some fun, it will relieve some of your stress and make it easier to focus when you go back to studying.
5. Don’t take yourself so seriously.
While it may all seem very important right now, and it is important, it’s not going to be the end of the world if you don’t do as well on one test as you wanted. Your health is more important and you only go to college once, try to enjoy it instead of stressing out about grades and exams the whole time.
If you take this advice hopefully you'll not die in the next two weeks and maybe even pass your classes!
