We can all agree it’s been an eggs-hausting term (brace yourself, I have so many egg puns it’s not even bunny!), but we’ve made it through the dark winter mornings and January blues, and Easter is finally in sight! Some of you might be desperate for this break, I for sure am, and some of you might be desperate for a month of exam prep and catching up on lectures…but it’ll come as no surprise to you that I am once again preaching about balance!
With such a long time off-campus, I know some people can find it difficult to strike a balance between well-deserved rest and keeping your brain in gear for May/June exams; I’m here to give you some words of advice to avoid egg-streme stress and chill the cluck out this Easter.
First of all, no one needs permission to relax, but, if you’re anything like me and sometimes need a sign to tell you it’s okay to take a step back, then let this be it. University is no joke, especially second semester, and you deserve a break. I know it can be difficult when you’re a high achiever and want to do the best that you can, but that is not going to be possible if you keep going 24/7. We want to avoid a mid-life crisis at 20 years old thank you very much. Easter is a time to enjoy being back home, see some friends, family and eat your bodyweight in chocolate guilt-free! We’re expecting some soaring temperatures this April so get moving your body outside and soak up some sun.
Sleep is also super important – I’m sure many of us have made it through nights-out and 9ams on pure adrenaline and caffeine, but this is the perfect time to let your body catch up with itself and go get those 8 hours! You will feel so much more refreshed coming back to campus in May, after some serious de-stressing. You will be amazed to see your brain’s full potential after a break.
That being said, it’s also important to not completely switch off for a whole month. My best advice is to make yourself a timetable to designate study time, this way you’ll never have that guilt weighing over you whilst you watch the 6th episode of Selling Sunset in a row…. which I will be doing. I’d personally recommend doing a little bit every day, just so you don’t dread coming back to your desk after a big chunk of time off. This is also a much better approach for long-term memory than cramming the night before and it’ll also set you up for a more comfortable May/June time too. And you know what they say, “change is as good as a rest”, so maybe switch up your study spots and routine and see what happens. I’m aiming for a few hours a day and taking the other 20 to do what’s good for the soul! But everyone’s workload is different, so do what feels right for you.
And that’s the key point, listen to your brain and body and do what feels right. Try to manage your energy, not your time!
That’s all from me yolks! Have an egg-cellent Easter and we look forward to seeing everyone back on campus in a few weeks!
