Tips to Get Through the Mid-Semester Slump

It’s that point in the semester where nothing is really happening. Halloween is over, people are ready for the holidays but there’s still classes, papers, projects, class registration, tests, etc. in between. It can be hard to push through and I myself am struggling. I just want to work on this blog and get ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas! But school is a priority that my family is paying for and I need to stay focused, no matter how many times YouTube or Netflix calls my name.

So I have put together a couple of tips to get through what I like to call “The Mid-Semester Slump”!

Buy a new planner

Nothing makes me feel like I have my life together than a new planner! I have recently gotten really into planners and I love my new one! It’s from the Create 365 brand and I got it from Michael’s. They always have sales going on and coupons! Just writing out all the things I need to do and the things I want to do creates a visual for my week and makes me feel productive! It feels so good to check off things I wrote down! And buy a cute one! I am a firm believer that if the planner is cuter, I’m more likely to write in it and open it back up to look at what I wrote. Sort of like if the gym clothes are cute, I’m more likely to work out (and feel cute while doing it!).

Do not procrastinate

(Kind of put this one in here for myself) I am the queen of procrastination, like seriously I need a crown for it. I put things off so bad. This semester I have been sooooo much better at time management with school, even people close to me have commented on it! But it’s hard to not put things off because I know I have a good grade so maybe missing this one won’t matter much while I continue watching New Girl. BUT NO. Don’t. Keep hustlin’, keep being ambitious, keep it up! You’ll thank yourself later!

Talk to your advisor

When I started school at community college, I hardly ever met with my advisor. I always saw tips online saying “become best friends with your advisor” and never really understood until now. Since I’m pre-elementary education, there’s a cluster of tests I have to take to be accepted in the program and be licensed. I would have totally forgotten about them had I not met and emailed my advisor! I understand all that advice now! Thankfully, my advisor is super nice and helpful all the time (pretty sure he groans if he sees my email in his inbox)! Meeting and talking about the next step for me always makes me feel on track and productive. Like all this studying and stress really IS to get me closer to my end goal.

Deep clean an area of your space

I just switched out my closet from summer to fall, hung up all of my clothes, and put everything away. I feel SO much better and decluttered. It was nice to have that time to myself and it felt almost therapeutic. And it didn’t take as long as I thought at all, especially since I put on some YouTube videos I needed to catch up on! Setting aside time to deep clean is a great mental break that is also productive. I’m excited to wear all my sweaters now!

Write A To-Do List and STICK TO IT

Even though I have a planner, I still write a small to do list for the day. I try to accomplish at least two things on the list per day! I’m staying productive but not stressing myself out. It also helps with the day-to-day as we move through the middle of the semester! I also use the app Wunderlist which allows me to compile a bunch of different to-do lists. I mainly use it to just jot down things that I randomly think of or something said in class that I don’t have time to reach for my planner to write down!

Allow Yourself Decompression Time

And lastly, just relax. Allow yourself to binge watch a couple of Netflix shows. Curl up with a book. Go out with your friends. Take a bubble bath. Do whatever you can that you enjoy to pass the time until finals are done and we can relax into the holidays!

Hopefully these tips helped! Do you have anymore tips to add to the list? Let me know!

xoxo Ariana