ARE WE DONE YET? THAT DEPENDS . . .

This is the time of the year when I have college students who have finished the term, finished exams–!!!YAY and Congratulations!!!—I have students who are starting the six-week sprint of spring session—!!!Let’s get started!!!—and high school students who are looking to polish off the semester, with exams six weeks away—!!!Let’s talk!!! 

Just finished college exams?

Review, regroup, and take that reward you’ve been promising yourself for finishing the term. Let’s plan in August to get ahead for Fall 2023.

Starting the six-week spring session sprint?

Review the syllabus today, note all deadlines, then schedule for pedal-to-the-metal study and assignment sessions–I’ll be addressing sprint sessions next week.

Looking toward high school finals in six weeks?

Today I’m looking at what my high school students face each spring. For some, exams seem in the hazy future, as six weeks is lots of time before the dreaded Finals bombs. For others, six weeks doesn’t seem like near enough time to get everything done and every textbook memorized. Wherever you fall along these two extremes, the first week in May is a good time to take stock.

So take a break and look back on how you’ve done, what’s gone well, and what might need salvaging. Review your overall goal, be that diploma, passing each subject, or gaining admission to a program. Then look ahead. There are three things you can do this week to come closer to your goal: Take control, get proactive about distractions, and maintain for the long haul.

Take control

List everything you need to do and when it needs to be done. This should give you a sense of control. If you feel overwhelmed, remind yourself that perfect may be what you desire, but it is not required to move closer to your goals.

Schedule loosely and be prepared to adjust your schedule as the weeks go by.

Refresh the time tools I’ve talked about, such as the Pomodoro technique.

Get proactive about distractions

Hey, it’s May! Friends! Weather! Hobbies! Sports! Grad!

Plan to enjoy what brings you joy. Plan how you are going to minimize time wasters–you won’t eliminate them, unless you are superhuman, but you can plan to spot them and deal with them. Plan for contingencies and surprises. They will happen, so plan to take a breath, deal, and adjust.

Maintain for the long haul 

Keep on keeping on with your nutrition, exercise, and spiritual maintenance. There will be late nights, maybe parties, maybe grad. You may find yourself putting in longer assignment and study hours than will allow for a full night’s sleep. Fast food just tastes so-o-o-o good! Enjoy–and do what is best for you. 

Build in reinforcers for every effort made both studying and academically. These reinforcers can be brief, such as the five-minute stretch or a play with the pet. 

And most important, endorse the person who made those efforts both academically and in overall self-maintenance! The small positive word you give yourself immediately after each effort makes you a very effective self-coach.

That’s it! For ways and means and detail, reach out to me [email protected].

Next week–getting a lot done in a short time.

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.