It’s late March. The birds are chirping. The flowers are blooming. Students all over the country are counting down the days — only a month left until the end of school.
Amidst our chatter, we repeat the same familiar phrases. Are you ready for the final sprint? Here comes the home stretch! Only a little bit left. How many days? This many days. Geez — I just can’t wait.
At the same time, there are lots of things to attend to. We students are pestered with questions about summer plans. But until internship offers arrive at the end of April, our summer months remain a question mark. We’d like to know, to have that sense of security. But we don’t.
Then, there’s finals. They’re creeping up too close for comfort. Soon, our classmates will start nudging our elbows: “Do you feel ready for the final? Have you started studying yet?”
We plough on. We don’t have a choice — if we’re ahead, we must work to stay ahead and beat the curve. And if we’re behind, we’re trying to catch up. Full of adrenaline, we run towards this final month at full force.
Unsurprisingly, this is the time when the good habits and routines we’ve built up throughout the year fall apart. We stop going to the Wilson gym in the morning. We take fewer walks in the Duke Gardens. We stop calling our moms.
There just isn’t enough time for everything. If it were only that the end of the semester brings the last few midterms and the first few finals, we’d be okay. We could handle that much. But sports teams are getting ready for end-of-season races. There’s March Madness and Eball and LDOC. And on top of everything, the weather’s nice, and it’s a pity not to spend time “studying” in the grass.
How to balance it all? It’s not easy. And no amount of motivation will fix it. Blog moms will tell you to stick to your nighttime routine, eat a balanced diet and get eight hours of sleep. But reality is, even the best of us see those good habits unravel once exam season starts.
Instead, I’ll give you some gentler and more realistic advice: To keep going strong until the end, you have to give in to some of your desires.
I know how you think of yourself — an unbendable soldier. But you don’t always have to prove yourself. Once the toast hits the floor — jam-side-down — you can start lending yourself some grace.
You should let yourself use more food points than you normally would and treat yourself to JB's cheesecake or buy a matcha from Bella. You should study with friends on BC Plaza even if you’re less productive. You should keep going to events you’re interested in. You should let your mind wander and dream about the summer, next year, and the future. Put some music on. Close your eyes. Kick back in a comfy chair. Perhaps just get some work done beforehand.
You should take advantage of spring, for it only comes once a year. Take a walk in the gardens and gaze at the cherry blossoms. Then, fine, go back to studying. But have something fulfilling to think back on when you’re going to bed.
It’s easy to forget, but our sanity is as crucial to our success as our studying. Completing side-quests after class, spending time with friends on the quad, attending tennis practice and organizing a roommate’s birthday party are not a waste of time. These activities keep us happy and healthy.
Finals are important, but so is rest. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Even if you feel pressured to go hard now because you’ll have three months of summer to relax and recover (which — let’s be honest — with internships, jobs and summer classes, you probably won’t) you mustn’t underestimate this last month of school. It’s easy to fall into the sprint and go all out too early. Don’t fly and die.
At first, giving in to everyday pleasures will feel like a waste of time. It isn’t. The happier you are, the easier you’ll find it to stick to those good morning routines and study habits.
Operating as usual will feel less of a burden. There’s plenty of hours left until your finals — use them well. But don’t use all of them well, or you’ll end up losing your mind even before we cross the finish line.
Anna Garziera is a Trinity sophomore. Her pieces typically run on alternate Sundays.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Sign up for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.