It is now at the point in the semester when the metaphorical fan is being hit with all kinds of substances: midterms, essays, tech weeks, and anything else your professors and directors want to make up to bog you down. After the much-needed and much-missed relaxation of spring break, how does one cope with the slump caused by the combination of all these factors? Look no further than this handy list to help you get out of the Not-So-Spring Blues.
- Plan out your schedule.
Is it arguably the most annoying or stressful thing to sit down and look at all of your responsibilities at once? Yes. Is it helpful to have an allotted time in which to deal with each individually, and slowly, but surely, complete all pending tasks? Definitely. Once you sit down and make the schedule, the mountain of tasks becomes a series of smaller lumps of tasks, which are far easier to complete.
- Establish an accountability friend.
If you have friends who don’t mind receiving spam updates on your academic life, and don’t trust yourself to finish your assignments without having to update this friend, ask one to be your accountability friend. Text them whenever you finish a chunk of an assignment, send them a meme, and feel good about it for a bit before you get back to work.
- Be flexible with yourself.
Of course, there will be days in which you accomplish less than what you set out to do. This is fine – just adjust your schedule. Let your accountability friend know, and hopefully they are understanding and encourage you to charge on.
- Don’t be afraid to indulge.
You’re stressed! Just because the world around you sometimes feels like a swirling vortex of work and commitments, doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to nap. Get yourself some dessert. You deserve it.
- Spend some time doing something you love.
If you have a hobby, now is as good a time as any to practice some self care and involve yourself in it to avoid burnout. If you like to create, make something small, like art on a Post-It. Even if it makes you happy to just sit and blow bubbles while you write your pieces for the Campus Journal (guilty), it’s important to do the things that will give you even the smallest hint of joy during this trying time.
- Give yourself something to look forward to.
Get yourself a concert ticket, plan a night out (or in) with your friends, or find another event you’d be interested in going to so that you have a reason to get through the slump. Even if you don’t end up actually going to the event, it’s nice to be able to tell yourself that, if you get through two consecutive weeks of five-hour rehearsals, you will have that awesome party to go to right after that will make it worth it.
These, among other things, are just some tips to help your mental health and well-being during the Spring Slump. If you need additional resources to help you plan and execute your work, contact a S.A.M., and they should be able to help. If you feel like your mental health is still suffering, consider reaching out to friends and mentors for support, or making a C.A.P.S. appointment. Stay safe during this Spring Slump, and remember that the semester will look up once you get the chance to breathe.
