stress

Midterm “Thrival” Guide

October 13, 2020 by theCrimson 3 Comments

Natalia Velásquez, M.S., Outreach Coordinator | Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)

Midterms can be a stressful (and sometimes relieving) time of the year, as they may remind us of the various academic tasks we still need to accomplish in the short-term, while also providing us with semester breaks to look forward to in the long-term. Many students around this time might find themselves feeling burned out by countless obligations and not knowing how to thrive at a productive, as well as emotionally healthy, pace for the rest of the semester.

Although academics are important, many times it can be easy to lose sight of how important it is to maintain your psychological health while also pursuing your goals. Therefore, it can really be helpful to create a workable schedule that includes specific time periods for studying and taking care of yourself, while also remaining physically and emotionally flexible when inevitable deviations occur.

Self-compassion is essential during times of overwhelming stress; thus, I encourage you to be kind to yourself and check in with what you may want/need in the present moment. You just might be pleasantly surprised with how helpful listening and caring for yourself can be during midterms!

A helpful and healthy study schedule includes academic responsibilities, study breaks, socialization, and self-care. An example of a midterm “thrival” guide may include:

Monday

Wake up: 8am
Get ready for class: 8am-9am
Class: 9am-12pm
Lunch: 12pm-1pm
Homework/Projects: 1pm-3:15pm
- 15-minute break after the first hour (Try a mindful breathing exercise like this) 2pm-2:15pm)
Socialization: 30-minute video chat to a family/friend (3:15pm-3:45pm)
Study for Midterms: 3:45pm-6pm
- 15-minute break after the first hour (Eat a snack; 4:45pm-5pm)
Self-Care:
- Exercise: 6pm-7pm
- Dinner: 7pm-8pm
- Shower: 8pm-9pm
- Watch TV/Read a Book/Talk to a Roommate: 9pm-11pm
Sleep: 11pm-8am

Please remember, this is a workable schedule, so be easy on yourself! Some days will come easier than others, as some days may have more distractions, detours, anxiety, etc., and that’s okay! Take each day one step at a time, check off progress, and remember to care for yourself!

If you find yourself in need of additional guidance during this stressful time, please reach out for help! Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is your student counseling center and we are here for you! CAPS provide a variety of mental health and wellness services to assist you and other students in successfully reaching personal, academic, and career goals. Please take a moment to visit our website: https://www.fit.edu/counseling-and-psychological-services/ to learn more information on how to request services and find resources for psychological health and well-being. Be the healthiest Florida Tech Panther you can be!

CAPS Presents – Stop Feeling F.I.N.E.

November 30, 2019 by theCrimson Leave a Comment

As we inch closer to exam week, it is easy to feel F.I.N.E.—Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional.

While the stress of exams and the holiday season might cause overwhelming feelings of needing to “get it all done,” it is important to remember that only so much can be completed in one day. College students are often faced with the temptation of pulling “all nighters,” assuming that the less sleep one gets, the better their performance will be on an exam. Instead, lack of sleep can actually decrease cognitive performance and memory, leading to more forgetfulness and mistakes while completing tests or papers.

Rather than running on fumes, take a moment to consider taking care of yourself this exam season so that you can show up with a clear mind and put your best foot forward.

Here are some self-care tips to help you keep a sharp mind and positive attitude:

Work in shifts: Even if you are cramming, it’s hard to retain a large amount of information without giving time for memory consolidation. Consider taking short breaks between 5-15 minutes for every 45-60 minutes of studying/working.

Play study music: Music without lyrics can help break up the monotony of studying without being distracting. Consider free study tunes on YouTube, such as classical music, Chillhop or coffeehouse jazz.

Remember to eat: Being busy can easily turn into forgetting to eat, or eating too much junk food. Try to balance between the two by planning a break to go to the dining hall, or meal prepping. Even simple healthier quick snacks, like nuts, fruit, sparkling water instead of soda or protein bars can help keep you fueled and focused without the sugary crash.

Catch some Z’s: Resist the all nighter! Even a little bit of sleep is better than no sleep at all. If you find yourself having trouble overthinking while you try to sleep before an exam, try taking a moment to tense up your muscles, then slowly relax them. Do this for different muscle groups to help take your focus off of your thoughts. Or try paying attention to your five senses while taking slow, controlled breaths. Lastly, calming music or white noise can help with relaxation. Even searching “ocean waves” on YouTube and playing it while you fall asleep can be helpful.

Manage your worry: Some worry about exams is healthy and productive. It might help you to start studying NOW (*hint, hint*) as opposed to last minute. Unproductive worry comes when we have difficulty focusing on work or completing tasks. It might cause us to feel overwhelmed and lower confidence. Challenge the unproductive worry with helpful reminders that you will be okay, no matter the results:

“I studied as much as I could, now it is time to perform as best as I can.”

“My worth does not lie in any single course, assignment or test. I am still a good person even if I don’t perform as well as I would like.”

“Rather than overthinking, I am going to take this time to cope and reset so I can get in some productive study time later.”

We hope you find these tips helpful in navigating your end of semester to-do list. On behalf of CAPS, we wish you a successful end to your semester and a relaxing winter break!

CAPS Presents – Don’t Let Your Light Burn Out

November 2, 2019 by theCrimson Leave a Comment

You’re busy, right?

Think of all the times you have used that as a reason to not do something.

“I can’t, I’m busy” or “I wish I could, but I’m busy” are phrases that are part of a typical college student’s vernacular.

Being busy is not a bad thing.

Many students thrive on having schedules, “to-do” lists, and several activities or responsibilities in which they are involved.

However, being busy can easily boil over into feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, or even burned out.

Many of us are familiar with feeling stressed or overwhelmed but burnout is a different type of feeling that many experience without knowing the lasting effects it can have.

Burnout occurs when you lose touch with the reasons why you are doing something in the first place.

You might feel apathetic, even cynical towards your work or people around you.

There is no clear cause of burnout, but the factors that influence burnout can include feeling overwhelmed or lacking control over your time, lack of social support, and school-life imbalance.

Feeling like you or a friend might be burned out?

Take a moment to reignite your flame.

Self-care is essential for managing a hefty course load along with other obligations, such as a part-time job, extracurriculars or volunteer work.

A great resource for students on-the-go is the Florida Tech Campus Wellness website.

It is loaded with resources to help you find and maintain balance and wellness.

Think of it as all of our campus resources packed into one site.

There are self-help resources for studying, career development, exercise, sleep, health, eating, and emotional wellbeing.

With the right resources, many students can make the minor adjustments they need to stay on track.

Campus Well is here to help connect you with those resources, whether from your phone, tablet, or laptop/ computer.

Take a moment to download the Campus Well app or visit the website and see how these easily accessible resources can prevent or reduce burnout and help you shine your brightest!