It’s late April and the college academic year is coming to an end. If you’re a college student like me, stress is building just as fast as your “to-do” list. Reminders on sticky notes are creating a collage on my desk and my agenda book is filled with highlighted assignments. I sit in class and stress with the rest of my classmates, I return to my apartment and stress with my roommate and I call home and complain about the stress to my parents. Time is limited with the number of obligations on the rise. College students are under a great deal of anxiety at this time of year. From one college student to another, it’s going to be okay, summer is still going to be great and we will return in August rearing to go once again!
Give yourself a break from the library
You might be eating, sleeping and breathing homework, but you don’t have to eat, sleep and breathe in the library 24/7. Don’t get me wrong, I study like crazy and spend my fair share of time in the library but there comes a time when you and the library need to part ways. Not only is studying important this late in the semester, so is your overall well-being. Go to the rec center or get some fresh air. Take some time to yourself or you’re going to get burned out on studying and you will no longer be as efficient.
You’re more than a grade
If you’re like me, you’ve been stressing over a grade or two over the last few weeks. In high school, I was a straight-A student. However, with college, I’ve learned that straight A’s are very hard to come by. I’ve been working relentlessly to keep my grades in the A range, but I’ve learned that some things don’t go your way and you’re going to hit some bumps in the road. For anyone else that feels the same, I’ll share with you something that I’ve learned -- you are more than a grade. I know that concept is tough to imagine right now, but earning an 88 percent or a 95 percent isn’t going to be the difference in the caliber of job you’ll have in a few years. Study hard, but if your grade doesn’t reflect your effort, don’t beat yourself up over it.
Leave a positive impact with your teachers
Whether it’s answering emails at 5:00 a.m. or adding extra office hours, our teachers do a lot of behind the scenes work for all of us. Our teachers have spent hours upon hours with us over the past semester. Normally, we can agree that we didn’t see eye-to-eye on every assignment or comment, but they’ve provided us with resources and tools to use in our future. They want nothing but the best for us. Thank them for all of the time and planning they have put into your course. We complain about the time we spend on homework/studying, but keep in mind all of the time they put into planning lectures, assignments and PowerPoints. Remember, you may need a reference letter or letter of recommendation from them, so leave them with something positive to say about you. A simple thank-you can go a long way. Make sure to appreciate all that your teachers have done for you over the past semester.
Sadly, organizations are coming to an end
I feel lost without my Monday/Wednesday afternoon organizational meetings and Tuesday/Thursday intramural games. What am I supposed to do all summer? To me, college organizations are one of the biggest reasons that college is so enjoyable. Like the old saying, all good things must come to an end, and organizations take a hiatus over the summer break. Do your best to leave your mark on the organization. Give the executive members ideas on how to improve for the following year and work on recruiting new members to share your organization!
Saying goodbye to your roomie
Often times, if you see my roommate, I’m not too far away. I’ll definitely miss our late night talks, spontaneous trips to Sonic, our love for Rotel dip and the Loft grilled cheese. If you’re like me, you missed your roommate on Christmas Break and Spring Break. So, what am I supposed to do all summer? Whether you had a good or bad experience with your roommate, you both have gone through a lot together, from the awkward first couple of days to the long goodbyes before summer break. Take time to reminisce on all of the fun memories you have shared together! I hope many of you are as fortunate as I am and come August will be able to live with your roomie once again in the future!
Spend free time with your friends
We all need some time away from studying and projects -- what better way than to spend your time than with your friends? They’ve gone through everything with you this semester. Why not spend the last few days of the year with them? Your friends are going through the same level of stress as you, so why not check up on them? Whether it’s a quick trip for ice cream or a walk through the trails on campus, take some time and spend it with those that you will miss over summer break.
Packing up the memories
You know the saying about how many free things you acquire in college...IT’S TRUE! You won’t realize how much you’ve managed to gather over the last 8 months. You’ll find a picture from a welcome week event and then spend 20 minutes thinking about how much you miss that experience. Then you’ll pack the t-shirt that you waited in line for 40 minutes for...because you needed it that badly. (Even if you can barely shut your t-shirt drawer, like me.) Then you pull out the cardigan that you totally forgot you brought because it’s been in the back of your closet the entire year. The dreaded task of packing up your life can be turned into quite the reminiscing experience!
I understand that it’s late April and there are a million tests, assignments and projects coming up, but it’s all going to work out. Your hard work will pay off and all of your assignments will get submitted. Keep in mind that it’s important to take time for yourself and spend some of the last days of the semester with your friends. The stress at the end of the semester is felt by us all, but the months of learning and hard work will pay off in the end!
