You will survive this Week Five – here’s how

Spring has sprung and Week Five has begun

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CN: Discussion of Mental Health

We’re back again, Cambridge. Week Five.

I may not be a blue by any means (throwing, catching, and even running is realistically beyond my capabilities) but there’s certainly a navy tint to the days at the moment.

Nonetheless, I’m insisting that this week will not get me down. Here’s how I’m doing it, and how you might just be able to as well.

Quick disclaimer: I very much doubt I’m telling you things you don’t already know. Consider this a reminder that there are little, pleasant things in the world and that you can find them relatively easily if you try.

Take this as a challenge and see if you can do each of these things every day for Week Five. If it doesn’t help then you’re more than welcome to personally accuse me of lying to you on Camfess!

 

1. Keep the day the day, and the night the night.

I’m not asking you to get up at 5am and yoga your way through the morning, but having some structure in place can stop the workload from turning you borderline nocturnal.

Try setting an alarm at the same time every day this week. It doesn’t even have to be early (after all, strikes mean you don’t have a 9am to get up for) but make it consistent.

If you can get up for a morning supo the day after Rumboogie, you can definitely do this.

If anything, it’s worth the superiority complex of being up before your friends (photo credits: Ruby Cline)

 

2. Get some sunshine.

None of us have got any vitamin D since approximately way too long ago, and it might be worth enjoying the blue sky while it sticks around (edit when Eunice appeared: possibly not today, though – stay safe and away from trees!)

Going into the college gardens for five minutes is, in my opinion, one of the most time-efficient and relaxing ways to take a break from work. It will take you about as much time as it’ll take to run back to your kitchen for a coffee, and comes with a side of serotonin!

If you’re strategic you can time your walk to see a stunner of a sunset (photo credits: Ruby Cline)

 

3. It’s essay plan time, babe.

I’ll start by saying that your supervisors may be more evil than mine and therefore won’t let you do this (in which case I’m sorry, but not that sorry because you should have chosen to apply to a legendarily chilled college), but if you’ve been permitted to substitute an essay for a plan each term, now is your time.

“But what if Week Seven is my dark days??” I hear you cry. “What if I need my essay plan later??”

Week Seven you can deal with that. Week Five you deserves a break, even if that break is a side of bullet-pointed A4.

When it got to the point of scheduling showers, I decided it was break time (photo credits: Ruby Cline)

 

4. Check on your friends…and maybe ask them to check on you.

The one good thing Week Five brings us is solidarity. Universally, this uni understands the stormy weather (not literal!! Go outside) which is drifting towards us.

Maybe don’t text your friends – after all, it’s very likely at least one of them has had a work-related breakdown and stress-deleted Snapchat – but go knocking on some doors. Tea, anyone?

If there’s one thing it’s worth carving out some time for, it’s seeing a friend. Maybe you can combine this with some of your other challenges this week – taking a walk in the sunshine.

Why not make a Week Five memory with your friends? These college wives will look back on Week Five kindly (photo credits: Ruby Cline)

If you’re feeling a bit more than just the blues, please reach out to resources that are here to help.

 

5. Take advantage of events.

There are tons of cool things happening in Cambridge all the time, and there’s no feeling worse than scrolling through Facebook events and realising you’ve missed something legendary.

You may not have the time to spend every evening at a new college trying a new hobby out, but take one evening to go do something you’ve never done before. You can do one evening off, and it will save you burnout later.

A short list of cool things I found out are happening this week:

 

Sometimes the most relaxing thing you can do is paint something pink (photo credits: Ruby Cline)

 

6. Treat yourself – you deserve it!

You’ve got through a month of this term so far, including the both metaphorically and literally darkest part of the year. This term might have left you a bit bruised, so don’t add to the injuries and beat yourself up too.

Something as small as a Mainsbury’s doughnut (which is obviously the best doughnut you can get for less than 50p, don’t fight me on this) or spending the afternoon working in that slightly-too-expensive independent cafe rather than your free Pret is well deserved and can be a little highlight in the week.

Izzy’s week five requires three scoops (photo credits: Ruby Cline)

Week five can be a bit grim, but we’ll stick together and stick it out.

If you or anyone else you know has been affected by the issues in this story, you can find links to university and local mental health services here.

Feature image credits: Ruby Cline. Screenshots from Facebook page: Camfess.

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