By: Taylor Spill (she/her/hers)
As the initial excitement of a new semester wanes, the mid-semester crunch can hit students hard, with looming assignments and exams causing stress and late-night study sessions. It's essential to find that balance between academics and well-being by managing time wisely and prioritizing self-care. Here are five valuable health tips that can help you manage mid-semester stress.
1. Make a Study Schedule/Task List
Keeping track of deadlines, due dates, exams, projects, etc., is crucial. Too often, I have seen my peers succumb to stress because they keep missing deadlines, cramming everything into a small amount of time, or not knowing when they will have a heavier workload. Sometimes, it feels like the mid-semester workload hits us out of left field, especially since there is no real established “midterm week” like there is for finals. However, knowing when your workload will become more intense and planning for that time will help you feel more prepared.
What are some of the best ways to keep track of upcoming assignments, projects, tests, etc., and stay on track? Just like people learn, take notes, etc., in different ways, that question varies from person to person. Suppose you are somebody who grasps concepts more visually. In that case, you can try a physical planner, a whiteboard, or creating a color-coded agenda through programs such as Notion, Excel, Google Docs, etc. If you don’t want to create templates, programs such as MyHomework do this work for you and can be used on any device. Or, if you have a MacBook, you can write down your assignments on Stickies that will appear on your home screen. Take the time to figure out what works best for you.
In addition to having deadlines written down and easily accessible, my next advice is to devise a list of tasks for each day you want to accomplish during busier times. The list does not have to be well-formatted or organized; it has helped me set intentions for my day. For example, I used the Stickies app on my laptop to write down what I planned to work on each day before finals started. It was nothing fancy but rather a way to split up my work and studying and know what I needed to focus on. Writing my goals down helped me understand what I wanted to get done and actually helped me accomplish it, as it felt great to cross off everything on my list.
Overall, setting your intentions and understanding what your timeline will look like will better prepare you for the more intense parts of the academic year.
2. Take Breaks While Studying
It is almost impossible for anybody to study consecutively for hours on end and not take a break. And you should not expect yourself to be the exception to this either. According to Cornell Health, taking breaks is beneficial when studying for long periods. Taking breaks can help your body reset and increase the ability to focus. According to productivity app Desk Time data, the ideal amount of time to work is 52 minutes, and to take a break is 17 minutes. The amount of time that you decide to work and take a break is entirely up to you, but this amount of time is consistent with the suggestions made by Cornell Health. Figure out what works best for you, and take breaks to alleviate straining yourself.
What a break should not consist of is scrolling through social media. As tempting as it is to check our feed, especially after our phone “pings”, social media can be distracting. It can lead to endless scrolling and much longer breaks than intended. I suggest shutting off your phone during study periods altogether or turning it on “Do Not Disturb” mode in case you need it for other purposes. Instead, make screentime on social media/streaming services an incentive, something nice to enjoy once you’ve finished studying for the day.
What should a break look like instead? A break should be a time to engage in a quick activity unrelated to studying and assignments. For example, doodling, journaling, walking to get coffee, or daydreaming are all great break activities. Doing something crafty, like making a friendship bracelet or knitting, could be a great stress relief. A personal favorite study break of mine is doing a quick New York Times game, like the Mini Crossword, Wordle, or Connections, which take around 30 seconds to 5 minutes at the most.
Overall, taking a break every so often is essential, as well as setting realistic goals for yourself and the time you use to study/work on assignments.
3. Do Something Active and Get Outside During Your Free Time
If you are doing an intense amount of studying/work for several days in a row, it is common to feel sequestered and stuck, whether it is in your dorm, house, the library, etc. And sometimes, you may feel like you need a more extended break from studying. This is where physical activity, especially outdoors, will become your best friend. Studies mentioned by Time Magazine show that being in the sun positively affects your mood, such as elevated serotonin, stress relief, etc. We are lucky to see the sun often in New Orleans, so go on a walk, a run, or even sit outside for a few minutes.
According to the NIH, Physical activity reduces stress, improves overall mood, and increases energy levels. After engaging in physical activity, your body releases chemicals called endorphins, which trigger a positive feeling in your brain. Doing physical activity while it is sunny outside can benefit your mood and release endorphins, so if it is a sunny day whilst you study, why not take advantage of it?
As mentioned before, taking breaks from studying can actually help you retain the concepts better, and exercise is a great way to take a break. Sitting inside for long periods can negatively affect your body and mood, so use physical activity as a reset. If it isn’t as lovely and sunny outside, you can visit the Reily Student Recreation Center or do home workouts if you study in your dorm/house. No matter what, it is crucial to set time aside to stretch and take a breather, so why not use some of that time to engage in physical activity?
Overall, physical activity and going outside both have positive impacts that can help you deal with feelings of stress.
4. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness activities can be practiced at any point in the day. It can be as simple as breathing techniques or go with yoga and stretching. There are few times during the day when you can be in the moment and connect with your body and mind. We often spend most of our day dwelling on the past or thinking about the future. However, staying centered is very important.
If you want to quickly re-center your focus and take your mind off of negative thoughts, these breathing techniques from WebMD are all a great way to start. Circular breathing is another effective method. Meditation is a great way to practice mindfulness if you have more time to dedicate. Meditation can reduce stress and increase focus with a clear mind. Many great meditation apps help you get started, such as Calm, Headspace, or Unplug. You can also look up videos on YouTube for free. Whatever it is, meditation and deep breathing is a gift and very easy to practice.
If you want to delve deeper, yoga and focused breathing are excellent. Yoga is a great way to relieve stress and improve health overall. If you have a mat, you can do yoga anywhere, even outside. Many YouTube videos will guide you through various yoga flows. Combined with meditation and focused breathing, yoga is a great way to practice mindfulness physically. In addition, stress-relief activities such as coloring, drawing, or journaling also count as mindfulness activities.
Overall, it is vital to make time for yourself in the present, and mindfulness activities will help with this notion and help alleviate stress.
5. Make Sure You’re Getting a Sufficient Amount of Sleep
The average adult is supposed to get around 7-9 hours a night of sleep. The amount that you may need will vary from person to person. However, the quality of sleep you get matters too. In my last article, 5 Tips for National Women’s Health and Fitness Day, I mentioned some ways to improve sleep quality and help you feel refreshed and well-rested. These tips are still relevant during intense studying, and sleep is crucial. Staying up and studying until 2 AM will not benefit anybody, including yourself, especially if your exam is the very next day.
You want to feel good mentally and physically when working on assignments and taking exams. Perhaps before bed would be a great time to practice mindfulness activities. That way, you aren’t caught up in what you’ll be doing tomorrow, in the future, etc. When you wake up, you can practice again, go into studying feeling refreshed, and set your intentions for the day. Sleeping is for resting your body and mind, which you need, especially if you study for several hours a day.
Sleep deprivation, or not getting enough sleep, can have consequences that will affect your physical health and your academic performance. Some of the effects include decreased concentration and slower response times. They can lead to health problems if sleep deprivation is constant. It may be tempting to study all day and night; however, the human body has limitations. Perhaps it could be helpful to set a time to stop studying, have an hour to prepare to sleep, and then choose a time to wake up. A regular sleep schedule improves sleep quality and can help you feel better overall.
Overall, it is essential to let your body rest, especially during highly stressful times.
