14A: Don't Stress and Don't Cry

With just a couple of weeks left of the semester I have reached the most feared period that we had been warned about known as “CRUNCH TIME”. There seems to be so little time and so many time consuming assignments that have been squeezed onto my plate. In a time like this my stress levels go out the roof and I find myself in a struggle to keep my sanity. So the question that me and many others have been faced with is “how am I going to make it through the end of the semester without having a mental breakdown?”.

The first step I have taken in preparation for what is to come in these final weeks is schedule. I have written down all my assignments and the dates that they are due in my planner so that I am aware of what needs to be done and how I have to manage my time accordingly. Another method of action I have taken is to constantly remind myself to relax and not worry so much. During Thanksgiving I went the whole day without even touching my school stuff so that I would have an entire day to debrief from the workload. Unfortunately, those twenty-four hours flew by but it still was a great moment of renewal. Speaking of renewal I have noticed that taking breaks and setting aside time for myself has helped me stay grounded. I take naps, listen to music, eat snacks, go for a walk, spend some time with friends, and then I find that when I go back to doing work I am re-energized and focused.

I hope that I can continue to make things work as I have managed to do thus far. My biggest goal is to finish out the semester strong with grades that I can be proud of. I know that these last few weeks will probably be the most difficult but with effort and the support of my friends and family I can succeed. Now I just have to keep in mind ‘don’t stress’ and ‘don’t cry’ because it’s almost over and once it is it will be worth it.