Managing Your Time And Stress As The Year Wraps Up

Spring semester finals have always been rough. The weather is warming up outside, and no one has any desire to dedicate time to studying. No time spent studying means stressing over feeling unprepared for finals, which, for me means wanting to relax and just watch some Netflix. That means I’m not studying and I’m feeling even more stressed. It becomes a viscous circle and we’ve all been there.

Luckily, a quick search on Google can you give you plethora of tips and tricks for managing time and stress. These are some of my personal favorites.

Schedule a time to study

This doesn’t mean just thinking to yourself that you can study for an hour at some point later, maybe. Write it down in your planner, put it on your calendar on your phone, set an alarm on your laptop. When you take the time to plan out a study schedule, you’re guaranteeing you’ll have enough time to devote to each exam. You’ll also have a way to hold yourself accountable.

Set up a strictly-work space

Trying to study in bed can wreak havoc your work goals. Since you’re already lounging in bed, it can make it easy to get distracted. On top of that, working in a space that’s meant to be a relaxing place for you can mess with your sleep schedule and stress levels. If you’re lucky enough to have the space where you live, try and choose a small area to get work done outside of your room. If not, head over to the library or the Tech center where you're forced to focus on work.

Take a break

Trying to run on all cylinders for the next week or so will burn you out. All the studying in the world won’t help if you’re so stressed you can’t think straight. So give yourself a break and do something you enjoy, whether it’s running or painting or heading to the coffee shop. Schedule it in after your study time if you have to. I’d recommend avoiding Netflix though. That Auto Playback will get you every time. 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Helena Wilcox.

Overwhelmed? Overcome it!

For most of us college students, today marks the end of our first week back on campus. We still haven't mastered our schedules, are most definitely sleep deprived and still have textbooks to purchase. It all can seem, well - a bit overwhelming. Stress and time management are common themes in the world of academia. It is always beneficial, instead of diving in head first, to step back and look at what you can do to help yourself before the semester truly begins.

Here are some things you can do to get yourself organized, relaxed and ready to bring on the spring semester!

1. Schedule your day, down to the hour - Having everything you need to accomplish written down on a schedule or in a planner will help you to procrastinate less and focus more.

2. Take your time - Quality is better than quantity. Don't rush small assignments in the beginning of the semester because that will become a habit all semester long. Make sure you give yourself enough time to produce quality work.

3. Don't take more on than you can handle - Think you can handle 18 credits, a part time job, an internship AND a social life? It will never happen. Make sure your plate isn't too full this semester so you can focus better.