Midterms!

Midterms are just around the corner and most of us are frantically trying to cram in as much information as we can into our brains before the big day. With endless stacks of assignments and three midterms coming up in these next two weeks, I’ve been trying hard to be keep my health and sanity by putting an extra care into maintaining good balance between eating healthy, exercising regularly and sleeping habitually. Of course, at times you may be obligated to pull an all-nighter for that history response paper you decided put off until the very last day (we all have our moments of procrastination!), but I really can’t emphasize enough the importance of balance in your life especially during these times of high stress and high pressure towards that untouchable, perfect 4.0 GPA! (Not all of us our geniuses in this world…we actually need to study!)

This week, I have a business complaint letter due Monday, a french literature test on Tuesday, two analysis response papers due on Wednesday, and math webwork due on Friday (oh the beauty of college life…). But I’ve figured out some tips on how to get through two weeks of midterm without wanting to slam your face against the desk or run yourself into a wall (I’ve had moments like that…not so fun).

1) Feeling like you want to pull all your hair out from stress? Then hit the gym and let the stress out!

Sometimes when you’re feeling stressed, forcing yourself to study more may be the worst thing you can do. It will not only elevate your already high stress level but it can potentially build up to the point of ‘burning out’ where you just want to give up and leave it at that. Stop feeding your stress! If you feel like you’re close to reaching the breaking point, simply stop the thinking, turn off your study brain, and do something physical and active that will help you get your mind off of the studying for a while. For me, fitness works out to be a great stress reliever because it allows my mind to shut off the over-thinking and over-stressing and allows me to focus on my physical state. Of course, stress relievers can be anything – from working out at the gym, screaming your heart out to your favourite 80′s song, to watching an episode of ‘Modern Family’ on TV – as long as it’s not detrimental to your body…ahem…say no to drugs.

2) Can’t get in the studying mode? Try easing yourself in the ‘zone’ by rocking out to some jam!

I used to be one of the people who couldn’t study if there was the slightest noise in the room. But recently, I’ve been listening to Deadmau5 and other techno or trance music that doesn’t have any lyrics while I’m studying and I realized it really gets me into the groove of studying! On the other hand, with any music with lyrics, my attention seems to flow towards the song and next thing I know, I’m singing along the lyrics instead of studying for my french literature exam…total fail.

3) Get your hands off the coffee, energy drink and anything else that’ll affect your mental state! Instead, go outside for some fresh air or splash some icy cold water on your face!

Sure, one or two coffee a day isn’t going to kill you; I myself is a coffee lover as well. But gulping down an extra large black coffee from Tim Horton’s (their new extra large size is super size!) or taking five espresso shots is of course going to instantly boost your mental alertness for short term, but as you as it starts to wear off, I guarantee you will go down with a crash. And it’s going to be a BIG crash. What I usually do when I’m feeling unfocused or exhausted is to take a break and walk around inside my residence (especially when it’s super cold outside), or if it’s not -20 degrees outside, go for a light walk around the neighbourhood. Taking a cold shower also helps to wake you up from that zombie-mode most of us fall into after staring into the computer screen for too long. There’s lots of creative ways to keep yourself mentally awake; don’t fall into the trap of drinking 10 RedBulls to keep your mind on the go.

 

Oh jeez…got to study now. Hm, I guess blogging is another way for me to relieve my stress and turn my focus onto something other than studying…score!

 

Stay fit and beautiful from the inside out!

 

Love,

Michelle

Related articles

• Midterms and Finals: Making it through without falling apart (psychologytoday.com)
• Midterm Madness! (theprepcrew.wordpress.com)
• Three Study Skills They Don’t Teach You In College (gradbaruchian.com)