Struggling to balance your deadlines, wellbeing and socials?

Students have a love-hate relationship with the final four- weeks of semester two.

Indeed, May and June bring the long-awaited warmer weather, longer days and… tons of deadlines. Even before the exam season kicks in, everyone suddenly feels swamped with an endless wave of assignments.

However, during those stressful weeks, having a strong balance between responsibilities and leisure is crucial in order to avoid being overworked.

Occasionally, taking care of your well-being can feel impossible. One quick method to ensure your daily needs can be met involves creating a table listing actions- such as taking a shower and then crossing it off upon completion. If you want to spice it up, treat the tick as streaks, and soon daily chores become a little competition.

In relation to organising my workload in advance, so that I don't fall behind on my assignments, I usually plan my tasks on Google Calendar. It's a major tool as I also receive phone notifications. Planning helps me feel more organised. At the same time, I can treat my assignments with more concentration allowing me to put into perspective how much effort I am putting into my studies and honestly, completing tasks and crossing them off, now that is a beautifully rewarding feeling.

Speaking of assignments, ensure to take a brief pause every hour, and once you have completed all the required assignments for the day. Take advantage of longer daylight to go on a relaxing walk, or buy a fancy hot chocolate from the nearest Costa. Personal treats should not be too expensive or time-consuming but should be anything that ultimately makes you happy.

Also, combat the urge to stay locked in the library, because working continuously cause overstressing and burnout, which ultimately causes more harm than good to your academic performance.

If your societies organise an end of year social, take the opportunity, especially if you know that friends and coursemates are going too. In fact, end of year socials is a lovely way to celebrate your success of the last year.

However, if you want to keep to the library environment but want to add a hint of a social element, organising group study sessions have worked brilliantly for me in the past. Even if friends are studying a different subject, exam stress becomes less overbearing when surrounded by familiar and supporting faces.

Essentially, as long as the study session does not turn into a catch-up session, this is an amazing way to keep a social balance without getting too behind on coursework.

Edited by Michelle Almeida