Beating the Mid-Semester Blues
Spring Break has come and gone, which means you have about 5 weeks left of being a college freshman. With the exception of holiday break, you have endured exams, quizzes, group projects, presentations, and the dreaded 8am’s for almost an entire school year. At this point, you are likely experiencing a new type of fatigue and burnout. You may feel unmotivated, frustrated, or feel as though you have lost confidence in yourself. How many times have you said “I don’t even care anymore” this semester? Burnout is a very common issue that students experience, especially while in college and balancing a multitude of other life stressors. It is important to know how to combat these end-of-the-year feelings so that you can finish out strong before you move forward in your undergrad degree.
Acknowledge the burnout. Are you exhausted because your twin XL mattress topper is a little flatter than on move-in day? Or are you truly fatigued from the never-ending list of assignments? Regardless, know the signs of burnout: lack of “me” time, isolating yourself from friends or loved ones, feeling depleted, procrastinating due dates, skipping classes, or failing to allocate study time. Everyone’s burnout can look a little different, so don’t compare yourself to others.
Invest in yourself. It is easy to forget to set aside time to do things that make you happy. Take a break from studying and head to The Burn, go catch a sunset at Cane Creek Park, have a self-care night, go to the movie theater with a friend. What did you do last semester to fill your cup? Do that again.
Prioritize sleep. It is almost impossible to get through college without pulling an all-nighter. Those times will come, but don’t exhaust yourself in your first year. It is already hard enough making it to 8am classes, so don’t make it harder on yourself. Set yourself a wind-down time, turn your phone on do not disturb after a certain time, wake up early enough before class to allow yourself to properly get ready and wake up. After all, you won’t be able to learn anything if you are still half asleep.
Manage your time wisely. Make a list of every assignment, exam, quiz, or project that you have left this semester and check them off as you go. Don’t let small assignments sneak up on you. Dedicate a few hours of your day strictly to academics, then save the end of your day for your personal time.
Make the best of your situation. Remember, you will never be a college freshman again. Don’t take this chapter of life from granted. Don’t let the burnout and fatigue pile up so high that you dread every day. Soak in all the moments, whether it be sitting in a library booth or navigating through a plethora of tents and booths on The Plaza on the way to class. Document the moments, take pictures of the little things. Before you know it you will be sitting in your room, submitting your last ever college assignment, your cap and gown will be hanging in the closet, and graduation will be literally days away. So, make the best of it!
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