By: Kelsey Murray
Posted In: Opinion
Photo credit: Media credit: Gary Markstein/Milwakee Journal-Sentinel/MCT Campus
Don’t let the end of the semester work get to you.
Do you feel like projects won’t stop piling up? Do you wake up extra early just to put the finishing touches on those three papers due in one day? Do you pull your hair out when trying to understand that last math problem?
Take a breath. We have all been there, and will be there again as we enter the end of the semester. The professors are piling up the projects and you probably feel like shutting your drapes and climbing into your bed. Here are seven ways to get through the next month without having a mental breakdown.1. Take Twenty We all have crazy schedules. We are involved in clubs, have to finish that group project, make note cards for the Spanish test and make it to the gym to lift before that 8 p.m. television show. So stop. Before you sit down and plan out your next week take out twenty minutes from every day and label it “me time.” “I love to just lie down and forget everything for like 20 minutes,” said Tina Cosgrove, a junior administration of justice major. Take those 20 minutes and forget everything. Make your mind blank and just focus on your breathing.
2. “Boots are made for walking” Nancy Sinatra sings, “Your boots are made for walking, and that’s just what they’ll do”. Let this song remind you that there is time for fun. If you can’t think about the next day without thinking about all the work you have to do, stop. Whether it be through going to dinner with friends or going to see a movie, take the time to forget about all the worries of school.
3. Lace up those sneakers That’s right. It doesn’t matter whether you like sports or even work out. You need to get off the couch. Sitting in your bed or couch can make you restless, and that isn’t healthy. Take a 15 minute walk, and it will automatically calm you and take away stress. “I try to walk or work out at least twice a week, hopefully more,” said Lindy Reid, a junior marketing major.
4. Laughing is always the best medicine Whether it be in the form of watching Family Guy, making jokes with friends or reading your favorite book, a little laughter goes along way. “Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good health,” says Paul E. McGhee, a leading doctor in humor research.
5. Let it out “When I get so stressed over homework I just feel like screaming,” said Lindsey Cavallaro, a junior nursing major. So let it out: scream, or even punch something. Do whatever you have to do to kill that urge to give up. This release will calm you down and make you refocus.
6. Get Organized Finals are coming up, but you can’t even start to think about studying when you have five final projects and papers to worry about. And you don’t have to, yet. Just stay organized. Being disorganized causes chaos and stress. Take the time to make a calendar and plan out the next month. When it comes to your next project you will feel relieved, because you are already organized for it.
7. Buckle Down Thanksgiving break is a gift and you should use it as such. The break is a time to breathe because from the minute you return to Salve, you will be overwhelmed with the workload that comes with the end of the semester. “I hate coming back from Thanksgiving knowing I am going to have so much work,” said Cosgrove. So use Thanksgiving as a breather, and get ready to buckle down because you can do it!
