How to survive Week Five

Week Five blues getting to you? Need a little reminder that Cambridge is definitely worth it? Fighting off tears about your supervisor feedback? I’ve got you.

1. Give up

Look, I’m not saying bin the degree off entirely (and if you do, please don’t send this article to your DoS), but there are ways to give up slightly without the world crashing down. In Cambridge, many people seem to be giving 100 per cent effort all the time, but this is not sustainable. Don’t get freaked out by the intensity of Union hacks gearing up for their fifth election, or Tab writers who just won’t stop producing super funny, witty, articulate, engaging and intelligent articles (*cough cough, me*).

Use Week Five to submit an essay so poorly written that even an eight year old would criticise your structure. Or don’t even bother writing the essay. Submit a plan. Feign an illness. Fake your death, commit identity fraud and live off the grid in the Australian outbacks for a week. Whatever works for you.

2. Retail therapy

A little treat never hurt anyone. Buy yourself an autumnal drink (figure out which one here), splash out on some fancy food, purchase the £7 wine instead of £4.5o, treat yourself to a Gardies, or just buy a whole new wardrobe. If you need fashion advice, Kirsty and I have you covered – spoiler, red skinny jeans are not it.

3. Family

Go home, have them come visit, Facetime your friends from home. Pop the Cambridge bubble a little. It can be nice to remember there is a world outside of Cambridge, which doesn’t care if your supo work is late.

cheeky Nandos always (Image Credits: Sophie Tallon)

4. Fresh air

Headphones on. Music blasting. A coffee. These are the ingredients of a hot girl walk. Seriously, leave the library, emerge from your room and get some steps in.

5. Watch something

Book a night off, get to the shops, buy some snacks, grab your blanket and watch a film. If you want an autumnal vibe, check out this list. I personally believe that Pitch Perfect is a perfect choice all year round, and the masterpiece of cinema deserves all the praise. High School Musical, with Zac Efron portraying Troy Bolton with Oscar-worthy nuance, is also a classic.

thriving (Image Credits: Sophie Tallon)

6. Eat a vegetable (please)

It’s all too easy to be exhausted, zombie-walking to the kitchen just to make yourself your fourth cheese toastie of the day (definitely not speaking from experience). Buy some fresh fruit and veg and make yourself a meal that contains multiple nutrients for once! Funnily enough, no one feels at 100 per cent health when their diet has been exclusively beige and yellow for two weeks. Instead, wine and dine yourself – you deserve it xx

five a day! (Image Credits: Sophie Tallon)

7. Try something new

Don’t get stuck in the same old routine. Use Week Five as a time to go out and try something completely new, whether that’s college netball, pole dancing soc, or something completely different. Cambridge has hundreds of societies, and it’s never too late to get involved – take inspiration from Ishaka and try something different.

Look after yourself, and if you need support reach out to your JCR welfare officers, tutor, DoS etc. There are people who want to help you, and you should access that support if you want to.

Feature Image Credits: Sophie Tallon

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