Image via givesimple.com
How to maintain your sanity throughout semesters
By Megan Jewell, Contributor
Throughout the semester I often find that a student’s basic needs are not being met, whether they be maintaining a good sleeping schedule, having enough nutrition, getting physical exercise, or maintaining relationships.
Whether you’re taking two classes or six, there are certain times throughout the semester when you block everything out and strictly focus on your school work. Now, it’s easy to see how laundry doesn’t get done, how those Friday nights out no longer happen, and how Netflix and chill dates are replaced with colour-coding your planner for the week ahead. It’s difficult to maintain good grades and a good appearance, work out, eat healthy, work, and enrich social friendships all at the same time. There’s a lot of planning, running around, and simply a lot of stress. Here’s a couple ideas that might help you out.
I know planners aren’t cool and not necessarily a fashion statement, but they’ll make your life 10 times easier. When you are able to write down your weeks ahead—appointments, car insurance due dates, plans with your friends—it’s all right there in front of you. You no longer have to go to class asking three different people about today’s lesson or assignments, because you can flip to this week and you’re set! Maintaining that management and keeping your stress levels low is extremely difficult, and this way you have a better idea of what’s going to happen, what to expect, and, quite honestly, where you should be when you’re lost as balls.
I don’t know about you, but I set 10 alarms to go off in the morning. Snooze snooze snooze. Eventually, I’ll get up an hour later and find myself running around the house trying to get everything together. Books, planners, binders, clothes, food, my phone… it’s very overwhelming at 6:30 a.m. So the lesson here is to pack, or at least get your things ready, the night before. Pick out your clothes for the next morning, pack your lunch, get all your papers together in one general area. Planning ahead in the little ways can make a big difference in the morning and for your overall mood.
Now I don’t know about you, but I’m always hearing about how essential exercise is. It’s good for your circulation, heart health, mental health, muscular growth, and development. Despite all the positives from physical exercise, there’s nothing that can motivate you to hit the gym once you’ve already done a 12-hour day. So here’s a little cheat that I do. Instead of taking the elevator at school, take the stairs. Maybe it’s only five minutes of heart health, but it’s an easy thing to do to get your body moving and activating those chemicals that will help promote a better overall mood.
Sometimes when you’ve got three different projects, two assignments, and then finals, it’s really difficult to sit there and be like “Oh yeah I’m all good, not overwhelmed, stressed, or exhausted. Even though I haven’t showered in three days, I’ve run out of clean socks because I don’t have time to do laundry, there’s a stain on my shirt, and this is my fourth cup of coffee—but no, I’m totally fine!” Breathe! Relax! Inhale. Exhale. Sometimes when you’re running around, it’s difficult to look up and see the big picture. You’re working hard towards your future, and it’ll all pay off. Think about what it will be like when you’re done your finals—you can get wasted and not do homework all weekend, and you can go camping without bringing your binders. You can finally sleep in past 6 a.m. and no 8:30 a.m. classes! In the big picture of things, you’re doing an excellent job, whether you have stains on your shirt or not.
