8 tips on how to survive ‘March’

Ah March.

Spring is just around the corner. The sun is out, the birds are singing, people are running outside in shorts and t-shirts.

You walk into your tutorial, hungry, sleep-deprived, sick and exhausted. Your TA looks around the room at all the tired faces and asks “How are all of you today?”

“It’s March.”

Yes, March. The month of never-ending assignments, midterms, presentations, papers and finals. It piles up, adding tasks to your to-do list on the daily. It’s a painful month. But never fear friends, March too shall pass.

Here are some tips to getting through this treacherous month.

1) Plan out all your major deadlines and assignment dates. Use a planner, your phone, your laptop, your wall calendar. Use whatever floats your boat and allows you to plan your time accordingly.

2) This goes with the planning, but it baffles me how people get things done the night before. Why they would inflict that kind of mental and physical pain on themselves? I understand the day or maybe two days before, because things do sneak up on you, but come on people! In all seriousness, I highly recommend doing all the research and background things you need to get done beforehand so you can then sit and have a stare down with your blank Microsoft word screen, with at least an idea of where you think you want to go with this paper.

3) Exercise. Simple, yet effective. Do something active that lets you escape the trap of the library or the glare of technology, or the confusion of the book you’re trying to read. You’d be surprised at how nice it is to go for a quick walk along the beach, a good weights session or a rugby practice to escape the confines of school. Studies have shown your brain is more effective after a quick exercise session anyways!

Walk along Dallas beach after a long research session.

4) Eat well. Goes hand-in-hand with the above. It’s amazing what a good, healthy snack can also do to boost your mood and help you get through the day. Fellow blogger James wrote a great blog on healthy eating tips.

5) SLEEP. By far the most important tip! Sleep is crucial to functioning properly. Although sometimes it may be necessary to stay up late to finish an assignment, you should never sacrifice all your sleep in the night for school. Sleep allows you to recover and, more importantly, in deep sleep your brain processes all the information you’ve learned throughout the day – especially important before a test. Do not cram! Sleep is the answer!

My favourite study place: Union Pacific!

6) Take a personal day. Seriously, do it – especially if you’re sick and run down. Taking care of yourself is more important than anything else. Sometimes you just need a day to breathe and relax. Escape from everything that’s going on. Lie in bed all day and burn through movies on Netflix. Don’t leave the house; don’t look at your phone.  Recharge your batteries. This day is for you. Enjoy it.

7) Fun. Have fun!! Remember, life is short and even if March and all its impending doom is making you feel like you’re stuck in an existential crisis, think about how good it’s going to feel when it’s over and you’ve handed in your three papers, finished your four midterms, a final, a presentation and your tutorials.

Feel that?

That’s joy my friend.

Do something to de-stress.

Grab your best friend, go for breakfast and a walk along Dallas Road. Arrive there watching kids fly kites and flash back to when you were 7 years old, happy and care free. Go on a mission to find a kite. Successfully hunt down the kite. Buy the kite. Fly it. Endless fun.

“Kiteness” … You can figure out why.

8) I’m going to contradict myself here, but this is my post, so I’m going to do what I want. Do you hear that voice in the back of your head? The one that wants ice cream? You’ve taken care of yourself, you’re working hard, you’re finished your work for the day and you want that ice cream? GO GET IT! Treat yo’self once and awhile; you need it more than you think. Moderation is the key, but sometimes you just need to give in and let me say:

It is worth Every. Single. Bite.

Keep calm and carry on. April will fall upon us sooner than you think.

Jess