The hardest part of the semester is among us. Returning after a short break and a taste of freedom, students are slapped with the reality of final projects, tests and the last-minute push for grades. What happens beyond these three weeks of determination, you may ask.
Winter break.
Two weeks of pure bliss; a new year, a new semester, a fresh start. While many feel a wave of motivation to become the best version of themselves for the start of the new year, which is significant, you’d be doing your past self a disservice by not finishing the end of semester one and the year of 2025 off strong. While it definitely is not easy, here are five habits that will boost your success while managing the stress of a challenging time before winter break.
#1: Manage your time.
What is easier said than done? Managing your time to the max is crucial in boosting your success. Students are expected to balance up to eight classes, with many including a final exam in some capacity and then sports, clubs and additional responsibilities on top of all of that.
Using a planner or calendar seriously to map out when you are going to get all of your work done will not only declutter your workspace, but also your mind. Breaking studying sessions or projects into chunks puts the task into perspective and shows how it can be accomplished with ease.
#2: Take care of your physical health.
The only thing we can rely on is ourselves. Taking care of our bodies is an obvious focus to have, but during stressful times is often the first thing that goes forgotten. Drinking enough water, eating nutritious meals, not replacing sleep with caffeine, all directly impact our bodies’ ability to perform in school.
Not only is how we perform affected, but our mood, motivation and perspective can all take a turn for the worse if being neglected. While these habits are bare minimum, getting in physical activity in many ways enhances your performance. Simply going on a walk or weightlifting can not only help manage stress but also improve sleep quality, resulting in an even better version of you for the next day ahead.
#3: Get some rest.
With everything going on, sleep can become more of an inconvenience than a necessity for students. Late-night cram sessions result in dwindling sleep, and are combated with hundreds of milligrams of caffeine. The time of preparation leading up to finals week is just as important as the test day.
It is not a sprint, but a marathon. More than ever before, it is crucial to get enough sleep. With demanding schedules, this can be a challenge, but by emphasizing getting those eight to ten hours of sleep, your body will say thank you.
#4: Take a break.
It is impossible to effectively retain a semester’s worth of information in one study session, no matter how many hours you’re studying. It is proven by the National Institutes of Health that taking breaks while studying strengthens memory and improves content retention. Taking a five-minute stretch break or an hour break to get a snack is well deserved and worth taking.
If you follow the habits above, like time management, you can block out these breaks in order to feel in control and on top of your work. If you feel the need to take an unscheduled break, it is just as deserving because your body knows what it needs best.
#5: Ask for help.
In today’s society, the excuse of not knowing who or where to ask for help is pretty much ineffective. At DGS alone, there are resources such as your teacher’s office hours, class materials, various resource centers, classmates and more with the main purpose of setting you up for success. Outside of school, technology is also a gift in this scenario.
Websites, videos, AI tutors, study games and endless other resources are available at the click of a button. If you are struggling with a specific material, it might not be a reflection of you as a student, but rather an indicator of what should be made a priority.
With all that said, in no way will these habits make the challenge any less daunting. But if broken piece by piece, you will leave the semester and year with a sense of pride and relief heading into winter break.