The semester is halfway over! Hooray! Fall break, Halloween, and countdown to Thanksgiving break are all upon us. Unfortunately, so are midterms, research papers, and group projects. With all of these deadlines hanging over our heads, it can be hard to find the motivation to keep going. If you're anything like me, you have been suffering from burnout (and early onset senioritis) for a few weeks, and it's starting to take its toll. So, from exhausted student to exhausted student, here are my top tips for avoiding mid-semester burnout!
1. Find something to get excited about.
Whether it's a day off from class, a weekend at home, a concert one evening, or a free hour to watch Netflix, find something that you're excited about! Keep reminding yourself that "after today/tomorrow/next week, this super cool thing is going to happen." It'll make the time go by faster!
2. Break things down into manageable chunks.
Make a to-do list of the things you need to get done. Then, box off some of those items into smaller chunks. It'll feel much better to tackle three items at a given time than to look at a giant list looming over your head all day.
3. Take some time to yourself.
I know, I know. You're super busy and everything is so regimented that it's impossible to find a free moment, let alone a whole hour! Trust me, though. You need half an hour to read a book that's not required for class, or to take a bath, or to listen to music and lay in bed.
4. Get off campus.
Take an evening off from homework, get some friends together, and go wander Target. Honestly, just taking a couple of hours to get out of your dorm or apartment to go somewhere that isn't class can make you feel so much better.
5. Call your mom.
Again, this fits in with finding an extra hour of time that isn't dedicated to schoolwork, but talking to mom and dad can be a huge stress reliever. Bonus points if you FaceTime and they show you your dog.
These tips are relatively low cost and just require you to carve out an hour or so to take a step back and relax. Even though relaxing seems impossible, it's important to recognize when you're overwhelmed and figure out the best way to combat it. Here's to you, exhausted student! Only 8 more weeks until Christmas!
