Staying Healthy During Midterms
Oct. 8, 2015 by jkatzen
So, you probably don’t need a peer advisor to tell you that midterms season is upon us…but do not fret! Your peer advisors are here with some helpful tips to make sure that you stay mentally and physically healthy during midterm season.
- SLEEP! Just because you have midterms does not mean that you need to be working on them around the clock. Making sure that you get 7-8 hours of sleep a night will help you feel more productive and prepared during this time. Additionally, the extra sleep can help protect you from getting sick. If you are having trouble sleeping, WesWell can be an invaluable resource! Check out their page on sleep for more tips! –> WesWell Sleep Resources
- Eat healthy and exercise – These tips are easier said than done at any time during college. However, they are especially important during this time when stress levels are high and you are expected to be productive at all times. Eating healthy makes you feel healthy – and it doesn’t have to be too hard. Just avoid skipping meals, don’t forget about the salad bar at Usdan, and keep some fruit or other healthy snacks around if stress eating is your thing. Exercise also does not having to be daunting. You can use a quick workout at Freeman or a jog around campus as a study break, or a way to wake you up in the morning and leave you feeling energized.
- Reduce Stress – One of the worst parts about midterms, and college life in general, is the stress! It often seems acceptable that everyone around you is stressed at all times, but even for those who work best under pressure, too much stress is not healthy. Here are some ways to minimize stress around your academics:
-Be planful! Whether you use one of the nifty free planners available at Usdan, iCal, or some other tactic, keeping a calendar with all of your assignments is essential! Trying to remember everything you have to do without writing it down is stressful enough – and chances are you’ll forget about something. When you can visualize your assignments and responsibilities, it also makes it easier to prioritize, and figure out when you’re going to tackle each thing on your to-do list. Here’s a great blog post about how to study for finals, which totally applies to midterms as well! –> Finals Study Tips
-Remember your resources! Remember that you are not alone – and that Wesleyan’s campus is full of supportive resources to help you get through the toughest times. Some great academic resources on campus include – but are not limited to – the Academic Peer Advisors (us!), the Writing Workshop, the Math Workshop, the Quantitative Analysis Center, and the Scientific Computing and Informatics Center. Additionally, if you feel that stress is overwhelming, there is CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) and WesSupport, a student-run support group.
-Make the most of your study time so you don’t waste hours in the library procrastinating on Facebook. You can start by working when you feel most productive, which may mean utilizing hours in between classes or in the morning. It’s also very important to find study spaces that work for you, despite the attempt to stay in bed and avoid the cold weather. Here’s another great blog post highlighting some spaces you may not have thought of before. –> Cool Study Spaces
-Don’t forget to take study breaks! We are humans, not machines, and there’s no way anyone can be productive if they sit and stare at a screen for five hours without a break. So, everyone hour or so, stand up and walk around, have a snack, go outside, or talk to a friend. It’ll make studying easier and less isolating!
Happy Midterm-ing!
