Fighting The Mid-Semester Slump
It’s that time of year again when nothing seems to go as planned and you have a million things to do. Mid-semester is one of the hardest times of the year on a college campus. From mid-terms to huge projects it can be really overwhelming and really challenging to stay motivated. However, there are tons of ways to reset yourself just in time for midterms.
Plan Ahead
This is one of the best things you can do for mid-semester. Figuring out when you need to get work done will give you peace of mind and keep you less stressed. The less stress that you have, the better your work will be. It also helps you put together a couple of drafts if you have to write a paper or work on a project. The more time you spend drafting the more confident you’ll be when turning it in.
For mid-semester group projects, this is a really great thing to do. Getting together with your other group members will help prevent any misconceptions about who has to do what. It also keeps everything moving smoothly (hopefully). If you can’t meet in person because of crazy schedules you should at least utilize google docs to keep everything organized and everyone on the same page.
Read the Guide Lines
If you’re having trouble actually starting your work, it is okay it happens to all of us. The most important thing is knowing the guidelines for it, especially for a project. Procrastinating isn’t actually a bad thing if you do it right. Knowing the rules as soon as possible will actually help you formulate ideas. You can actually come up with better ideas the longer you wait to start it.
Most people go wrong with this because they don’t know what they’re supposed to do until the last minute. You can’t actually think of better ideas because you aren’t giving yourself enough time to work through them. I totally recommend checking out this TED Talk about it.
Take a Step Back
If you’re the type of person who stresses out during midterms just try taking a deep breath and a step back. If you’re really stressing out about a mid-semester test it’s important to give your brain a minute to actually retain things. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to sleep. When you do go back to your notes you’ll have a better understanding of what you need to study more.
This is also a really good thing to do for projects. You can get really stuck on a certain idea if you don’t take a break from looking at it. Try having a roommate or a friend take a look at it and see what they think about it. It’ll give you a better idea of what doesn’t really work from an outside perspective.
Create a Study Group
If you have a really challenging mid-semester test coming up there’s a big chance that the other people in your class who are just as stressed. It can be really beneficial to meet up with other people and study together. If you aren’t totally sure about a concept there’s probably someone who is and you guys can learn from each other. The rule of thumb is if you can teach a concept to someone you definitely have it memorized.
Working Out
Working out is one of the best ways to de-stress. After a long day of classes or dealing with non-compliant group members its the perfect way to fight mid-semester depression. Your body will release endorphins and you’ll feel even better the next time you start working.
Try working out in the morning before class. It is a great way to wake up for the day and you’ll be more energized in class. You also won’t have to worry about staying motivated after a hard day to actually go to the gym because you’ll have already completed your workout. If you are someone who doesn’t like to be around a lot of people at the gym the morning is usually quieter, which is a huge bonus.
Relax
In today’s society, we have a hard time slowing down. We’re always going and you constantly have to be “on”. From answering group project emails or staying up to date with teachers announcements, there isn’t much time for just ourselves. Taking this time is really important for re-setting your mindset and there are tons of ways to do it.
One of my favorites was to relax is to turn on a new documentary that I’ve been wanting to see or just a show that I’ve been watching weekly. I avoid going to things that I can binge because I usually take too much time relaxing and I don’t get anything done. You can do this once a week or nightly just depending on how much you need it. There’s never any shame in taking a step away from studying for a while as long as you don’t completely forget about it.
Self Care
Self-care is a great way to just take time for yourself. Throw on a face mask, exfoliate your body, take a bath, it’s totally up to you and your skin will definitely thank you. Try doing this at night and just relaxing afterward so you can feel totally fresh for the next day.
Hanging out with Friends
While this not be one of the first things that come to mind when trying to make it through the mid-semester slump, but it is one of the most important. This is a great way for you and your friends to take a step away from your work. There’s a good chance that you all need a break so try doing something fun and not school-related.
If you or one of your friends is really crunched for time just go out and have a meal. You all need to eat anyway so it’ll be a productive use of your time. You might even find some inspiration while your out and about. Talking to your friends about a project can also really help you come up with new ideas and concepts to incorporate into your work.
The most important thing about mid-semester is remembering that you’ll get through it. Let us know some of your prep for mid-semester stress down below!
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