A REMINDER TO SWITCH GEARS

Tomorrow is the last day of class on many campuses. Now what?

Well, duh, Steve!! Study for finals. Okay, okay, that’s on your do list, and if you were following along with me last week, you have your plan, and all you have to do is . . . do it.

But I’m going to say, maybe not so fast. Even if you have an exam tomorrow, mark the transition between the end of classes and the first exam. Take a moment, a couple of hours, or a day, if you have it, to switch gears.

So catch your breath before the final lap. Reflect on how you got through this term in the middle of health, political and world chaos.

Choose an activity that marks that you are finished classes, labs and seminars–choose something that you enjoy, whether that be an afternoon of binge-watching, playing frisbee at the park with the dog, going with a friend for ice cream, or spending an hour writing poetry. 

Actively marking the transition can make you more effective in organizing the work ahead. You will be in better condition as you go through the weeks of finals.

Stretch. Walk. Get outside. Then make the mental switch. This is the final lap–and it can be invigorating. Wearing, stressful, but also energizing as you prepare for and knock off each exam.

In the weeks ahead, I’ll be addressing specific exam study and writing techniques–this is the ninth time around blogging about exams, and so much has changed since March 2020!

So take a breather, then on into the last lap. Connect with me if you’d like to work on preparing for and writing finals [email protected] 

The information in this blog cannot take the place of support from your own mental health professional or community health resources. Reach out to them. And IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS PLEASE DIAL 911.