Reading week has come and gone and not one student in any of my classes when asked how they are after their “week off” said anything other than “TIRED.”
For those of you who took the time for yourself, kudos! For the rest of you, in solidarity, fam. We are almost there.
As a mom with two kids and Christmas around the corner, there are a few things I have been doing to keep on top of my heavy workload.
A bedtime routine.
Get to bed early. Even if it’s not to sleep, curl up in your favourite spot when you have called it quits for the night and rest. If it’s a Friday night, I even bring a glass of wine with me and watch the latest episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
On-the-go snacks.
I always make sure to throw an apple, granola or fruit source bar, or a small bag of chips in my bag if I know I will have time to get to it that day (before it becomes a bag of dust). Making sure that my body has just enough fuel to get me through the day until I get home has been essential to my “sanity.” A grumbling stomach while trying to concentrate is a recipe for disaster.
Knowing when to stop.
I am sure you can relate — you work until the assignment is done. Or at least you want to. I have learned to stop. Sometimes it does more good to call it than to put out mediocre work. I have set an 8:00 p.m. deadline for work, unless it is something important like group work that needs attention. After that time comes, I put away my laptop and spend some time before bed doing things that refill my cup. These days it’s Amazon shopping, touching base with friends and family, or just putting my feet up and sharing some spinach dip and my chihuahua.
It’s all relative.
It needs to be said, YOU CAN DO THIS! Reading week comes just when we need it most and ends up being far less restful than anyone anticipates, and deep down, we know it will be that way for the rest of our academic lives. But there is a silver lining. After reading week, there are only three and a half weeks left of classes. That means we made it eleven weeks non-stop!
Your studies are important and of course, so is your success. But remember, so is your well-being, both physically and mentally.
Students have been navigating unprecedented circumstances and it’s not always easy to get motivated to attend that lecture or write that paper. Take it one day at a time.
Give yourself a pat on the back and keep up the great work!
Signing off for now,
Quinn