Halfway Through

So we are now halfway done with the fall semester! That being said, we are now fully getting the hang of our classes, hanging out with friends, our sleep schedules, but what are we to do now if we are afraid that we will get stuck in a mundane process of the normal day to day process. There is no need to fear, because that will almost never be the case. There is always something to do around campus. So branch out! Here are some of my personal favorite tips on how to keep the excitement going that you felt at the beginning of the semester.

Take a break

This may sound like nothing but trust me, it is probably the most important thing you can do as classes go by and you feel like it is just test after test after test. When I say take a break, what I mean is that I think you should take “me time.” Curl up with a cup of coffee and your favorite book, or watch your favorite show on Netflix. Take time to yourself, you do not have to be around your friends 24/7, and while studying is SUPER important, your brain needs a study break as well. So, do what I do: for every 3 or 4 hours I study, I reward myself with an episode of my favorite show, just to relax myself.

Go for a drive with friends

Instead of sitting at home every weekend goofing off, take a quick little road trip. This does not have to be some extravagant thing that gets planned out weeks or months in advance, but just a spur of the moment kind of thing. For example, my friend from UAA is coming up to see me and celebrate one of UAF’s traditions (like Starvation Gulch). Next weekend my friends and I are going to road trip down to Anchorage for a little shopping and change of food (you can only eat so much Thai food) as well as going to cheer on our hometown schools as they compete at state for cross country. Even just going to Chena Hot Springs or Denali is a change of pace for you and you will feel so much better going into the next week. You would have a fun weekend, possibly make some amazing memories, and be refreshed for the upcoming week without feeling stuck in a routine.

Change your study habits

For me, I feel like I am constantly stuck in a spiral of studying, and that can get very very boring. Sometimes you have to find new ways to study. Like I said earlier, you can study for a few hours and reward yourself with an episode of your favorite show. If you have a bunch of reading to do, set up a snack that after each section you need to read, you get to eat a handful of the snack. Find something that will break up your normal study routine and try to make it seem a lot easier and more fun to study. Because no matter how much you fight it, studying will be the only way you will succeed in college and you will need to be able to find your perfect study habit to survive the trecherous (yet fun) waters of college classes.

Until Next Week!

-Summer