Spring is upon us. Say hello to wildflowers, warm air, and unfortunately a semester that can feel really long. There are a lot of holidays and vacations during fall semester that break up the monotony; unfortunately this isn’t the case for Spring. Without the scheduled time off, it becomes easy to lapse into a zombie-like haze until you finally land on a beach during spring break. Although spring semester often feels jam-packed and never-ending, fear not, you can still stop to smell the roses! I asked various students around campus for their tips on staying positive throughout Spring term and this is what they said:
Plan little things
“I always do better if I have something that is keeping me excited,” commented Claire Haughey (junior). You may not have the time for a roadtrip with your friends every weekend, but planning different little activities throughout the week like going to get Chick-Fil-A with your classmates or going to workout after you finish an assignment helps ease the dull cycle of class and strenuous assignments. After all, it’s the little things that count in life.
Cross the days off calendar
Rebecca Frazier (senior) offered this simple, but effective piece of advice. With ever-piling assignments it can feel like your to-do list never shrinks, but crossing days off the calendar is a sure way to remind yourself that you are making progress. “…[W]hen I feel overwhelmed, it’s nice to see how many days I’ve crossed off.” You’ve come a long way, and marking days off of your calendar gives you a tangible reminder of that!
Listen to your body
Without various planned breaks, you may find yourself in an anxiety-induced spiral. When you’re in the zone, flying through assignments, and acing those exams, it’s easy to neglect your mental and physical needs. Gabby Guinn (junior) shared that she makes sure to listen to her body “whether it be napping, eating a snack,” or watching an episode of Hulu between long study sessions to take a mental break. This is a timeless piece of advice that should be implemented year-round–not just in spring! Before you head out to your next time-consuming lecture, make sure you grab a snack and hydrate!
Remember that your identity is not in school
As college students whose life is consumed by classes, extracurriculars and homework assignments, it’s difficult to separate your identity from your GPA. To combat this workaholism, Jazz Belfield, psychology major, emphasized, “there is a world outside of school. A letter does not define you, make or break you.” You have so many great qualities outside of your school performance. In the thick of a hectic semester it can feel like life comes down to an exam grade, however “just breathe and remember that everything will be more than alright,” Belfied wisely advises. You may have 4 years of college crunch-time, but still so much life to experience after!
We might only be a week into the craziness, but it feels like so much longer! Spring break is 2 months away, however you need not burn yourself out until you get there. Follow these tips from fellow classmates and you’ll feel a lot more balanced and capable as you grind through work, make extracurricular meetings, and pop in at social events!