How to Push Through Burnout

 

Does your list of finals to-dos feel impossible? Are you struggling to get started? To do tasks that you know are easy? You are not alone! It’s very normal to feel overwhelmed and burnt out at the end of the semester. With no break and the condensed term, this has been even harder than a normal semester, and I think the majority of us are barely holding it together and struggling to motivate. So how do we push through the burnout to finish strong? Read on for tips to get through these last few days (yes only days):

1. Prioritize sleep as much as you can. We all know how important it is, but what’s the first thing to go when you’re stressed? Think about what is most important, and take guilt-free naps when you can.

2. Spend time doing something you enjoy. Whether that’s hanging out with your friends, playing a game, coloring, or getting some good food, take even just a little bit of time out of your day to not think about school.

3. Move your body. Take some time to go on a walk, do some yoga, or a workout of your choice. That 30 mins spent not studying will make you feel better and increase your productivity. 

4. Eat some good food. We all know how awful the cafe/pub is so treat yourself to some good food, whether that’s something good for your body or your taste buds.

5. Mix up your environment. Been stuck in your room all semester? Increase your productivity and decrease the fog by going to the library, Upper Gage, or better yet study outside.

6. Incentivize yourself. Try out different incentive methods. When your tasks feel immobilizing, set small accomplishable goals and reward yourself when you complete them. This could be with a tv break, a Tik Tok break, or a treat. Just make sure you don’t take a break for too long or you won’t want to start again.

7. Make a list. When you have tons to do and haven’t written it out, your brain might be full of things to do instead of focusing on the task at hand. When you write it out it is no longer occupying your brain, and you can prioritize what is most important.

8. Do things in person when you have the opportunity and it’s safe to do so. Life has felt like an endless Zoom call for over a year now, and it is a huge contributor to that burnout you’re feeling. Take the time to go to some of those in-person things when you can, it can be incredibly refreshing to get out and see people even when masked.

9. Take a well-deserved break. Once you have gotten through finals (which you will) take a very well deserved and needed break!! Don’t do anything that you don’t want to for at least a few days. After you take some time for self-care, you can enjoy the summer and set realistic goals for the fall.

Good luck with finals, you are going to crush it!!

Study Tips for Finals

Finals are just around the corner, so it's a stressful time! The pressure of all these final projects and tests due during one week can be very overwhelming, so we often push things off until the last minute. Do you want some tips to avoid that last minute rush? Read on for some study strategies for finals…

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1. Make a game plan for finals

Planning out study sessions for all your finals can be overwhelming, but it can be really helpful to have at least some sort of game plan. Instead of cramming last minute, setting aside spaced out study session can immensely improve your retention. Try putting them in a planner or calendar. You could even set alerts or reminders on your phone.

2. Start early (if possible)

We are all busy. Sometimes it's difficult to avoid last minute studying, but going along with the last tip, try your best to start studying for finals early. Maybe a few weeks in advance even. Try to figure out which classes you may struggle with more, so you can determine which classes you need to spend more time on.

3. Make use of academic resources (we have a whole post on this blog on how to access a bunch of different resources Coe has to offer!)

It's not too late to get extra academic support when it comes time for finals!

• Visit the writing center or schedule an appointment with a Speak Out consultant for a final paper or project.
• Make an appointment with a tutor. While regular tutoring is helpful to make use of throughout the semester, it's still not too late to request a tutor.
• Visit your professor's office hours for any questions you may have about a final or any other confusion about the class.
• If your professor gives you a study guide, be sure to make use of it.

4. Form a study group (but with people who won't distract you!)

Study with a group of people who can help hold each other accountable. Talking out loud and explaining concepts to others helps with memorization and full comprehension. Also, remember you can visit the Learning Commons study hours if you don't want to study alone. They are virtual on Sundays from 6-8pm (zoom link) and in the Stewart Memorial Library, Lower Level on Wednesdays from 6-8pm.

5. Use a variety of study aids

• Create dynamic flashcards for concept memorization
• Four quadrants on card: definition, sentence, question, and image
• Draw mind maps
• Create a quiz for yourself and take it
• Use mnemonic devices or acronyms
• Look through textbooks for:
• Review questions
• Chapter preview, outline, or objectives
• Chapter summaries
• Key terms/definitions
• Look at suggested readings or references
• Review old notes or lectures

6. Take breaks!

Study breaks are very important to refresh your mind and prevent study fatigue and burnout. They can:

• Restore your ability to focus
• Help you regain attention and motivation
• Improve creativity
• Restore your energy

Some ideas for study breaks:

• Take a walk
• Go outside
• Have a snack
• Exercise
• Draw, color, paint
• Meditation/yoga
• Call a friend
• Listen to a short podcast

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7. Remember self-care!

Don't forget to take care of yourself when you're under all the stress of finals. Remember to do things that make you happy to lower your stress levels, and don't forget to eat healthy and drink plenty of water.

8. Make sleep a priority!

Don't stay up all night studying before a final. This will not help you get a better grade. When studying like that, you just don't retain as much information, and lack of sleep only makes your brain not work at full capacity.

Sources:

“How to Study for Finals”

https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/how-to-study-for-finals

“20 Study Strategies for Finals Week”

https://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/the-20-study-tips-for-finals

How to Make the Most of Your Advising Appointment(s)

Feeling overwhelmed by advising season? Not sure how to make use of your time with your advisor? Do you feel like your meeting wasn’t productive? You are not alone! Advising season can be stressful with the pressure to set up your next semester correctly, an overflow of class offering emails, and no guide on how this should be done. Read on for tips and to-do items to best set you up for success:

1. First and foremost, who is your advisor?

Whether this is your FYS professor or someone in your major, get ahead of the curve and request a meeting with them. This step is required in order to register for classes! They are also your best resource to make sure you stay on track. That being said, if you have multiple majors/areas of interest, have multiple advisors! Once you are out of your first semester you can change your advisor at any time on My Coe.

2. Pull up your course catalog and layout your major’s requirements

A quick Google search is the easiest way to find the course catalog for your year, and in it, you will find all listed requirements for your major(s). I suggest creating a document with these for easier future reference! I also personally highlight sections that I have completed so that it is easier to look at and see where my progress is. Just make sure you are accessing the right catalog as requirements change each year!

3. Create a rough plan for your four years at Coe

Working backward from graduation with your desired degree(s) roughly plan out what your class schedule will look like. Include any potential study abroad plans, courses that must happen during a certain year (ie. senior seminar), and go from there! Keep in mind that some programs, such as Nursing, have a specific required plan already made for you. Don’t forget to include gen eds also found in the course catalog, and remember that this does not need to be the plan you actually follow, it is just stress relieving to have a plan of some kind. This is a great thing to work on with your advisor if you aren’t sure where to start!

4. During the meeting(s)

Bring your preparations to your meeting and talk through them with your advisor, they may make some suggestions or confirm that you are good to go! (They will also probably be very impressed that you are so prepared, don’t forget that your advisors can help set you up with connections so impressions are important!) If you are unsure about which classes to take this is a great time to ask, and to confirm what your future plans are. Make sure to talk through any study abroad plans and what adjustments you may need to make because of this. If your major allows you to, make sure to preregister for those classes while you are with your advisor! In addition, I recommend talking through two backup classes before you end your meeting so that if things don’t work out come registration time you aren’t scrambling!

5. Register for classes!!

Now that you are all prepared and have made a plan, get ready to get up early and register for your classes. The night before look through your list and prioritize which class to sign up for first based on which one is already the most full. You will more than likely be registering at 7:30 am so set several alarms and make sure you are up at least 10 minutes prior to get ready. Pull up MyCoe and your list, and prepare for the short window of time that you have to get those classes you want. Most people are going to be done within 5 minutes, so make sure you are prepared! If you are able to, use ethernet or a hotspot to register as many people will be on the wifi at the same time as you and it will be horribly slow. Using this method I have managed to snag the last spot in my preferred classes several times, that extra few seconds of speed is important! If you aren’t able to do either of these, think extra carefully about that priority list so you don’t miss out on your most important classes. And remember that if you don’t get a class you want you can always ask the professor to join the class or wait and see if a spot opens up! Remember to take some deep breaths, you’ve got this!