by Ashley Hawkes

With the overwhelming sluggish feeling we all get when we are being stretched too thin, it can be increasingly hard to be productive. To help relieve this feeling, a good first step is to ease your body and mind. Whether it be participating in fun on-campus activities, taking an extra long shower, listening to music or meditating, you should take time to do something you enjoy. If it seems you are too busy to do this, then compromise; maybe study at a local coffee shop such as Tate Street Coffee, Green Joe or even the Crooked Tail Cafe where you can play with adorable kitties and treat yourself to your favorite drink.

After taking a mental break it is time to be productive. A good start is to make a list of all of the things you need to accomplish. Organize this list based on the urgency of the due date, by subject or even by the amount of dread you have to complete the assignment. If you dread one assignment more than the others, maybe start with that one, get it out of the way and feel the weight of that 10-page history paper being lifted off of your shoulders. Next, you should work on the assignments that are due sooner to make sure you can clean your Moodle page of those “Upcoming assignment” notifications. The strategy of creating a list helps you to organize and not feel so overwhelmed with your course load.

Another good way to stay engaged with your assignments is to set goals. Setting goals for yourself is important because they keep you on track and help you to not get lost in your thoughts. These goals can be throughout your study session, such as allowing yourself a small break between
assignments or even rewarding yourself after each accomplishment, which can include eating a gummy bear after each chapter you read of the book you haven’t touched all semester. Long term goals are also helpful when it comes to school. These goals can be set weekly or in bigger chunks of time.

If none of these things seem to be helping, do not be afraid to take a mental health day or even contact the counseling services of Greensboro College at counseling@greensboro.edu or in Main building in room 325.

Good luck with the rest of your semester and remember, nothing is more important than your health, so take it easy and do not forget to give yourself time to enjoy college.