Turning around the mid-semester burnout

We are half way through the semester and spring fever is on full blast. Your trip to PCB is right around the corner and senioritis is contagious, even to the underclassmen. But you still have three exams to study for, five papers to write and about a million homework assignments.

We started out strong, but now our little friend, procrastination, has come to give us company on our academic journey. This is about that time when studying seems a lot more like stu-dying and we start considering the pros and cons of dropping out and stripping for cash. That’s what we’re trying to make sure you don’t do.

Here’s how to avoid the mid-semester burnout:

Take ‘me time’

Mine is tanning and getting coffee. Whether it’s reading a book or going for a jog, you have to schedule in that me time at least once a week. When it feels like school is taking over your life and there is no end in sight, we tend to throw our hands up and give up. This is what we are trying not to do. So, take a break to relax and recover and when you’re done go kick some college academia ass.

Plan ahead

When we start the semester off, we all have loads of plans about how we are going to study and be successful this time around. The way to keep this mindset is to stick with all of these plans we made.

The absolute biggest lie students tell themselves is I don’t need to write that down, I’ll remember it. No, you won’t. Please, write it down. Organization is the key to success when it comes to college. It helps us make sure we know what the hell is going on. I could not survive without my planner, but I realize this isn’t for everyone. Even if you have to start out small by making a to-do list on the notepad on your phone, do it. This stops you from forgetting assignments, cramming for tests and falling behind in your classes.

Remember the big picture

When these burnouts come along it is usually because of pure exhaustion and we have lost sight of the point of all of this. Just remember why you’re here and that this is all temporary. When you think back on your college years, you won’t remember all the stress — you’ll remember the good times. So, don’t try to focus on the negative too much and keep your eye on the prize.

Don’t stress. Do your best. Forget the rest. But don’t forget to rest.

You’ve got this.