Third quarter, the period following the jubilation of the Christmas season, has descended upon Sion. Characterized by self-professed insomnia and a rise of early onset senioritis in underclassmen, this dark time usually brings incomparable amounts of stress to all students.
Though students often feel the need to give into this stress, that is not necessary. Third quarter is a hard time of year: the weather is awful and cold, the sun barely gets the chance to shine, homework piles up, and people are cooped up inside most of the day. However, there are many things to do to help make second semester stress a little more tolerable.
Sleep, Sleep, Sleep
With the giant amount of homework, studying, and stress, it becomes easy to feel the need to pull all-nighters and forget to take care of yourself. Staying up too late every night will make you tired the next day, and chances are you won’t perform your best at school.
Make a cut off point each night. Depending on your homework load and schedule, find a spot where you will stop what you’re doing and go to bed every night. If you know you may have homework you won’t finish, do your homework for your morning classes first then try to finish your afternoon homework in study hall, or in the morning before school. Or, just try starting your homework earlier. If you find yourself coming straight home and not starting until 7 every night, it may be time to rethink your schedule.
Sometimes, late-night homework has to happen due to sport practices, musical rehearsal schedules, volunteer work, etc. Free time is a rare thing for Sion girls. However, remember to take care of yourself by getting enough sleep. You will have more energy to complete your busy schedule if you do.
Study Buddy
Studying is no fun, and it is even less fun when you go at it alone. Finding a study buddy can be the key to making studying at least somewhat enjoyable and more productive.
However, the key is finding someone with similar study habits to you. And someone who actually wants to study. A study date can be either completely beneficial or totally unproductive depending on how it is approached. Try to keep each other on track. Come up with fun ways to study and quiz each other where you can have a good time with your study buddy. You can also learn new ways to study from each other that could help you in other classes. Studying for a big test can sometimes be a daunting task. It helps to have someone to face it with.
Work It Out
A really great way to release stress is to exercise. Also, don’t think just because you don’t play a varsity sport, or have a membership at Lifetime or Title Boxing Club, that you can’t get active. And being active doesn’t necessarily mean having to run on a treadmill for two hours.
Get outside and take a walk around your neighborhood. Jump rope. Shoot hoops in your driveway. Stack your Algebra and Chemistry textbooks and lift them. Just do something. You will feel better and less stressed because exercise releases endorphins which makes you happier (props to Legally Blonde). Get active. Sometimes, you need to work out other parts of your body besides your brain.
Dance Party
A really great way to destress is to dance like no one is watching. Create a random, crazy jam out session in the privacy of your own room. Find the most annoying song you can – “Beauty and the Beat” and “Diamond” are some suggestions – plug your headphones in, shut your bedroom door, and just go. Do your best crazy dance and sing as obnoxiously as you can because this is your time to blow off steam. You’ll have so much energy that you will be able to conquer anything. Homework will seem like nothing.
If you aren’t too embarrassed, jamming out with a friend can be a blast. If you’re really, really unembarrassed, you can jam out really anywhere, though it isn’t necessarily recommended because you may stress out other people around you in your own attempt to unstress, which kind of defeats the purpose. Proceed with caution.
Read for Fun
The books we read at Sion are fantastic and very thought provoking, but sometimes they can make your brain spin when you have to annotate them, look for deeper meaning, and dig through every detail and plot point. When you read for school, that is how you are supposed to read because you’re supposed to be learning to read critically.
However, not all reading has to be like that, and not all books you read have to be some great work of literature. Sometimes your brain just needs a break, and having a fun book to read can provide an escape from the stress of real life. These books can be works of literary merit, or they can be something that is just a fun story. It doesn’t matter. It is all about what you like and what will provide you with a place you will love to escape to.
Do Nothing Night
One night a week, set aside a night for yourself. Don’t do any homework. Don’t go out. Don’t go to a sports practice. Don’t do anything. Just stay home, order takeout, put on some sweats, and watch a movie or television.
One of my favorite things to do is get Panera and watch the six hour BBC Pride and Prejudice mini-series with my mom. It always takes my mind off things, and it is a great way to spend time with my mom since I’m so busy during the week. Find that movie or TV show that you can watch over and over again and never get bored because it will help provide a sense of comfort and give you something to look forward during the week.
Reward Yourself
It is really hard to finish all your homework and study for a test sometimes without some form of motivation. Yes, a good grade can provide some motivation, but I know I’m never really thinking of the grade I will get on a test while I’m studying. I try to focus on understanding and retaining all the information. However, I like to reward myself for working hard, sort of as a form of motivation.
Taking a break from studying to watch Pretty Little Liars or going to Roasterie for a latte are just a few things I like to do. Find things that will keep you on track and that you’re willing to work hard for. If you’re looking for something simple, take a snack break and dip pretzels in Nutella mixed with Trader Joe’s cookie butter. Everyone has something out there that will motivate them. Even if for some crazy reason you aren’t a fan of chocolate and cookie butter, there is something that will keep you on track and working hard.