After spring break, maintaining focus in school can be challenging, to say the least. Now that the madness of March has passed, we have now entered April, the final full month of the semester. And with only six weeks until the start of summer, Spring Fever has hit Claremont.
Sadly, April isn’t exactly a cake walk: It’s filled with midterms and essays, not to mention final projects and exams to prepare. We’ve got to remind ourselves the semester is still rolling, and we have some important tasks to complete. So how can we continue to thrive during this final push and stay focused inside and outside the classroom?
During my time at Scripps, I’ve learned that preparing for April is about more than just preparing academically. As crucial as it is to hit the books and master the material, we must also be physically and mentally ready to take on the month. And I’ve learned the hard that after a certain point, endless hours of cramming can not only be ineffective; it can also harm our ability to perform.
Earlier in the semester, I started doubting my test-taking abilities. Every time I sat down to either study for or take an exam, my mind drew a blank. Rather than logically reading the problems and finding solutions, I’d overanalyze the questions, and tell myself I simply didn’t know the answers. In the middle of tests, I’d become so paralyzed by my self-doubts that I’d run out of time to answer and even read some of the questions.
Why is this happening, and what can be done to ease this stress? I wondered. I reevaluated how I’d been spending my time, juggling school and internship applications, singing, producing articles and seeing friends. In doing so, I realized my problem wasn’t a lack of preparedness or intellect: It was a lack of down-time. If you spread yourself too thin and become overly exhausted, even the smallest of tasks can seem impossible.
I decided to take both a physical and mental break from the everyday burdens of the college environment: Constantly keeping up with school, grabbing meals and coffee with friends, and maintaining a presence on social media. For the first time in nearly three months, I didn’t trouble myself with the pressures of a rigorous routine, or spend every moment of my time prioritizing work. I slept in, and lived day-to-day by my own spontaneous desires. I also cherished my alone time: I went on walks, went to restaurants, and watched movies by myself. Through this time of self-reflection, I cleared my mind, and gained the stamina I needed to strike a more balanced and sustainable work ethic.
After the break, I decided to take a Macroeconomics midterm, fresh after an entire week without studying. Because I was finally in a clear mental headspace, I was able to think critically and rationally through each problem, without worrying about my own self-doubts. When I compared my score on the test to those I’d taken when I was cramming before break, I discovered I actually did better when I hadn’t even studied, simply because I was not completely exhausted and could think logically!
Don’t get me wrong; I am not trying to devalue the importance of studying! Of course, nothing can replace the keeping up with the readings and putting in some quality studying time to understand the material! But on the other hand, walking in to a test or writing an essay with a calm and relaxed mindset plays a huge factor in our ability to academically perform. Over these next few weeks, please don’t forget just how much you can accomplish by taking care of yourself and unwinding in whatever way is best for you. Who knows — you may even find that a little R&R is just what the doctor ordered.