You know how it goes: the first half of the semester is over, the novelty of your classes has long worn off, and you have to start doing real work for classes, getting ready for midterms and whatnot. The projects are coming in, test dates are drawing closer, and you're finally feeling busy but no longer want to do work. It has hit: the mid-semester slump.
It always comes for me, no matter how interesting my classes are or how big or small the workload levels are. And it sucks; all you want to do is lay in bed and binge-watch TV shows and eat food that you know will make you feel like death in a few hours. Or maybe that's just me.
I always find it hard to get out of the slump. It doesn't last long, but it seems never-ending. Here's what I do to get over it:
1. Break up your daily routines. I am a very habitual person, but also someone who gets tired of routine very quickly. Try to find small ways to go about your day. Walk or drive a different route. Wake up early and make actual breakfast instead of grabbing a granola bar. Watch the sunset. Little things make a serious difference to make your days seem less monotonous.
2. Plan a fun activity to do during the weekend. I am guilty of getting excited for the weekend, and then end up sitting on the couch all weekend, and then deem Sunday homework and study day. Making plans ahead of time creates something to look forward to and makes the duration of the week less daunting. They don't even have to be things that cost money. Plan a picnic, go on a hike, go to the beach (if applicable. I'm terrible at not going to the beach when it's only a 20-minute drive from my house.)
3. GO TO THE BEACH. It's great. You can walk, you can swim, you can attempt to get a tan but just end up with red patches. It's still great. Which is why it deserved its own separate spot.
4. Study groups! Studying by yourself is boring. It gets the job done, but it sucks. I'm bad at getting work done when I'm around my friends -- it usually starts okay, slowly falls into a "how many Jimmy Fallon YouTube videos can we watch across from each other" and ends in a "cool, I got zero work done" kind of situation. But it can be beneficial to study with people in the same class, as long as they're wanting to study and not talk the whole time, and it prevents you from going crazy when you're studying for hours by yourself.
5. Treat yo' self. If you're feeling really down in the dumps, find something you like to treat yourself to and do so. Make achievable goals, and then reward yourself with something. For me, it's usually food because, well, food. But to each their own: get a manicure, or buy new clothes, anything. Doesn't have to be big, but it feels nice to do something nice for yourself.
So, get to it and get over the slump everybody!
