As the semester rolls on and we draw closer to final exams and Winter Break, here are a few tips to remind you to take a moment to yourself to de-stress.
1. Eat At Least Twice A Day
This may sound like a no-brainer but once you start going throughout your day, turning in assignments, food is one of the last things on your mind. It can be very easy to forget to stop and take a snack break, whether because of your busy schedule or your focus on getting through the day. More than once I've found myself completing assignments, or finishing up classes when the sun has gone down, and realizing that I hadn't eaten anything throughout the whole day. If you're like me and don't have the time to stop, sit down, and eat a full meal; try stopping by your campus' bookstore or mini market to grab a snack before class. If you don't think that's possible, pack a snack in your backpack before you leave your room in the morning that way you'll see it when you go in and out of your bag throughout the day.
2. Keep An Agenda
Life becomes a lot easier when you can remember what assignments or project deadlines you have coming up. An agenda is always a life saver for me, especially the smaller one's that you can carry in your pocket or side pocket on your backpack. A reminder on your phone is all well and good, except when your phone dies and you're no where near a charger; whereas agenda's don't require batteries or charging. I suggest getting an agenda that has months,and specific days with plenty of writing room; one that continues into the next year so you're able to use it next semester as well.
3. Plan Ahead
For me this is one of the hardest things to do, mostly because I think of what I have to do that day and not what I have to do the next day. Whether it's projects, homework, or studying for exams, always make sure to plan ahead. If you have an exam in a week, start studying a few days before then, not the night before the exam because cramming isn't for everyone. I have a class where the professor has posted all homework assignments for the semester, due each Friday of the week, so on Monday's I read the chapter and do the homework. This helps to prevent me from forgetting it's due or not doing it at all because it's a Friday and I want to go out with friends.
4. Get 8 Hours Of Sleep (If Possible)
For college students this is one of the hardest things to do because we're so accustomed to staying up late, whether to study, to watch our favorite Netflix show or to go out with friends. It's hard to get all of our assignments done, watch our favorite shows, hang out with friends and get the amount of sleep we need all in one day. But because we are still growing, our bodies need 8 hours of sleep to function properly, and yes I know you're thinking "I've gotten by on less sleep than that before". That is all well and good but you're doing some serious damage to your body by not getting the required hours of sleep, and also hopping yourself up on coffee or energy drinks to stay awake. Instead of going out every night, or Netflix binging, pick one or two nights out of the week where you can do these things, or save them for the weekend, and use the other nights to get as much sleep as possible. Your body will definitely thank you later!
5. Balance School and Social Life
Keeping up with your grades while also maintaining a social life can be a difficult thing to do in college, and some people feel like they have to choose one or the other. DO NOT DO THIS. Picking one or the other has always been a terrible decision; you either choose a social life and spend your entire time in college partying and possibly failing you classes or you choose school and never take the time to actually enjoy the college experience because you're focused on your grades all of the time. This is where planning ahead comes in handy, if you know that you have an assignment due later on in the week or an exam around the same time you want to go out with friends; try studying or completing your work earlier in week so you won't be stressed about failing the exam or rushing to turn in the assignment. You shouldn't have to sacrifice your social life to get good grades nor your grades to have a social life.
6. Don't Forget To Take ME Time
Me time can be anything you want it to be, hanging out with friends, watching Netflix, trying out that new face mask you got from Ulta; as long as it's something you want to do. You may think that Me time is unnecessary compared to getting your work done, but you need that time to relax and de-stress. When I'm feeling overly stressed, which seems to be often, I take some time out of the day to sit in a quiet space, listen to some music and read a good book. It can be as short or as long as you need it to be, as long as you take this time to yourself, away from everyone else.
