As we all know finals are approaching and with them comes a great deal of stress, anxiety, fear, or a mix of all the feelings. Being scared isn’t necessarily a bad thing because it shows you care, but the way you handle it can play a key role in your development as a student and overall as a person. It might sound a bit crazy, but the habits you start to develop now can impact your future. Know that you’re not alone and that this will pass. Whether you’re a student who’s been locked in all semester or a student trying to get it together, here are some ways you can finish this marathon strong.
#1 Know your goals
It is important to have good goals otherwise it’s like driving without knowing where your stop is. Knowing your goals gives you clarity on what you want to accomplish and what you need to achieve that. Through it you can feel motivation because every time you achieve a small goal you feel closer to achieving your big goal. Some people find it helpful to have a weekly goal or a daily goal. It doesn’t matter how many goals you have, what matters is that they don’t intervene with your health and priorities. Make sure your goals are achievable. You’re not going to go from a 9% to a 100% in one month. Deciding on these decisions can cause frustration and eventually burn you out. There’s a difference between believing in yourself and being naive. Find the balance of pushing yourself and knowing where the limit is. Lastly, know that if for some reason you didn’t achieve your goal the journey you’ve made and the discipline that you have put into it are rewards in themselves the character you developed today will get you far tomorrow.
#2 Take time to pause when necessary
You might think I’ll just keep going and going but you’re not a machine. Your body needs a break from time to time and you have to realize that’s okay. When a car can’t keep going you have to put gasoline in it so it can start strong again. We’re the same, sometimes we’re not unmotivated, we’re just tired. Find activities that give your mind a break. Scrolling on social media doesn’t count. Examples of good mind breaks include taking a walk, a short power nap, tidying your workplace, listening to music, drawing or coloring, spending time with friends or family etc.
#3 Schools starts and ends today
Now I hope you know this is not literal even if you and I wish it were. This type of mindset is good for when you’re trying to do an abundant amount of work while already worrying about the work for the next day. This has happened to me more than once and when that happens you can take a deep breath, try to clear your head, and focus on how you’re going to give it your all today like it’s the only day you’ll worry about school in your entire life. I’m not saying not to do the homework due tomorrow I’m saying being anxious is not the answer. Think of it this way: if you can change tomorrow to make it better then do it if you can’t being stressed about it won’t fix your problem so what’s the point of stressing over a situation you can’t change. Obviously there are some days this trick might not work and that could be when your brain needs a good break. There’s a saying “Live today like there is no tomorrow.” Staying in the present makes you stop rushing through life and it gives you the pause you need to absorb the moments of life that make it worth living.
#4 Ask for help when needed
We have staff for a reason. You can sometimes feel like they’re hard on you, but that’s their job to push you because they know what you’re capable of. They care and are passionate about giving you that nudge to boost you to your success. When you show interest in learning they show interest in teaching you even more. All it takes is three words: “I need help.” But that could make a difference on your final scores. It can be from teachers to counselors to deans, school psychologists, social workers, teachers, etc. Three words that’s it, that’s all it takes.
#5 Keep going
Some days you might feel like nothing works. You’re absolutely done, but keep walking. Walk through hail, thunder, strong winds, keep walking. Don’t just sit there expecting everything to fix itself, you have to work for it and you’re the only person who can make those decisions, it’s you and only you. Don’t lock in later do it now, now when it counts.