Five homework assignments, two exams and three essays are due in one week. Panicking and feeling as though it will never get done seems like a simple solution, except it isn't one. Hitting a wall of work in college, especially halfway through a semester, is difficult to avoid. However, there are ways to make it slightly easier and less stressful. There are ways to manage academic stress in college.
The first of a few ways to manage is to organize your work and make a plan. Looking at all the work as one big blob of stress is an easy trap to fall into. Instead, write down each assignment and a timeline for each day you will work on them. This allows someone to see how much time is needed. Make it enjoyable with different colors for each subject, and ensure there are small windows between work time for a mental break. Make sure there is also enough time to get the right amount of sleep. Enough sleep means that your mind is rested enough to actually do well on the assignments.
Mental breaks are essential if someone wishes not to fall off the face of the Earth. Minds need moments of peace too and not just work and more work. This allows for a reset so that when the next assignment is tackled, it is looked at from a fresh perspective.
Next, communicate with those around you. Talk to friends who are most definitely struggling as well. Everyone has their moments of panic. Even if someone is stressing about a 1,000-word paper and another has a calculus exam, they may be able to help each other.
Make a coffee date with friends and plan to hold each other accountable. If there is a specific time when everyone has a free night then plan a movie night or make a big dinner and event. This gives everyone something else to look forward to other than schoolwork. Talking to others can make the work seem a little less big when seeing that other people are going through it too.
Be active and get outside. Go on walks and find new places to explore. A change of scenery and working out could help with stress and ease the mind a bit. There are so many places to walk in Athens. There are paths near South Green and even just walking around campus can be its own adventure.
Lastly, if it comes down to not understanding the work or how to get it done, then find help and get real assistance. The Ohio University Academic Achievement Center is a resource for anyone who is struggling in a specific subject or on a certain assignment. There are tutors, academic coaches and people to help with writing. These resources are free and available to all students. The AAC is a huge resource for understanding and managing work.
School is a challenge and there is no question about that. No matter what major someone is, there are going to be nights of cramming and stressing over assignments. Plan the work ahead of time, see friends and take mental breaks in whatever way helps. There are many ways to not crack over the work and manage college stress.
Kyra Dapore is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Kyra know by emailing her at kd364521@ohio.edu.
