It is finally that time of the year. Midterms are over and so is the stress of figuring out your eight different costumes for Halloween. November has come and now all you think about are Starbucks Holiday Red Cups and Grandma's homemade pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. But just because the tests are over doesn't mean that this semester has come to a halt.
After midterms, I had one week of nothing and it was great. I could catch up on Netflix, bake cookies, and even reorganize my room. Whatever you do, DO NOT let weeks like this fool you. After a week of freedom comes another week of hell with quizzes, papers, and meetings galore.
The semester is still in full force. Getting your work done is more important than ever. You could choose to slack off now, but you will be wanting to slam your head against the wall once finals roll around and instead of taking notes in that boring Philosophy lecture, you decided to watch an episode of Gossip Girl with the subtitles on.
So how are you going to survive the final weeks of this semester? This is how.
Work Hard, Play Hard
Set a time to get your work done. I always make sure all my work is done by Friday afternoon so that I have the rest of the weekend to do whatever I'd like. The sooner you get it done, the less time you will spend worrying about it while you are out with your friends. Let's get real: no one wants to be around that friend who is constantly complaining about that seven page essay that is due next week.
Reward Yourself
No matter what people say, bribery is a good incentive to get your work done. Make small goals for yourself. If you make an A on that history paper, reward yourself with Chipotle. Tell yourself that if you can make it through the stressful week then you can reward yourself by taking a trip to the mall and buying yourself something. Just don't go too crazy.
Work with Friends
Personally, I cannot work with other people around me. I need to be in my own quiet area in order to get my work done. But sometimes, it is nice to have the company. If a friend is going through the same stresses as you, go grab a table at the library together and work. You can keep each other accountable for getting work done and when you want to take mini study breaks, you have someone to talk to.
Whatever methods you choose, just know that there are only a few weeks left until the freedom of winter break. Then you can finally enjoy the holiday season with your family and relax at home. Keep moving forward and working hard in whatever it is that you do. I believe in you.
