The second half of the fall semester is almost upon us, and things are moving fast. After you come back from Thanksgiving break, you’re going to blink and it will be reading week. If this thought sent a cold chill down your spine, fear not. Here are a few things you can do right now to set yourself up for more success and less stress over the rest of this semester.
Say no to everything.
If you’ve managed to have a life up until this point in the semester, kudos to you! But, that basically ends now. The best way to limit your stress over the next few weeks is to also limit the number of non-law school things you have to do. If you want to make it through final exams with your sanity intact, you’re going to have be selfish with your time. At this point, you should be saying “no” to all non-essential social activities. It also a good idea to be very discerning about what professional or school-sponsored events you choose to attend. Remember, time is finite and finals are coming whether you slow down and prepare for them or not. The more selective you are about how you spend your time, the easier it will be to make through the rest of the semester in one piece.
Utilize your time leading up to and during Thanksgiving break wisely.
If I had a dime for every time a student told me, “I’m going to get caught up on everything over Thanksgiving break,” I’d be a millionaire. But, if I had a dime for every time a student told me, “I’m going to get caught up on everything over Thanksgiving break,” and then they DIDN’T get caught up on anything, I’d be a billionaire. Newsflash: You can’t cram an entire semester’s worth of reading and outlining into four days (particularly when one of those days will likely be spent in a turkey-induced coma).
So many students make the mistake of pushing too many tasks off until Thanksgiving break, seriously overestimating how much time they will have to do work (and often seriously underestimating the amount of time the work will take). Don’t fall into this trap. Instead, craft a plan that will get you all caught up on your reading and outlining before break. If you plan and execute accordingly leading up to Thanksgiving break, you will have time to get ahead or, god willing, relax a bit.
Make an appointment with your academic support department.
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Speaking of Thanksgiving break, before you head off for the long weekend, I highly recommend you make an appointment with the academic support department at your school. They can help you get a handle on all the things you are supposed to be doing and also help you prioritize which tasks you should be working on and in which order. Knowing that your plan has a professional seal of approval will help you feel confident that you’re spending your time wisely.
Implement and stick to a self-care routine.
The second half of the semester is very demanding mentally, emotionally, and even physically. It is important that you implement and stick to a self-care routine to help you get through each day. Going to the gym and eating an apple before a test is not likely to be as helpful if you haven’t been in the practice of working out and eating healthy all along. They same is true for your mindset. Meditation and mindfulness are much more likely to help you become calm and centered when you need them if you practice them regularly. Chipping away at these things day in and day out will help ensure your well-being through finals.
Remember, this is a stressful time of year and no amount of planning can completely take that away. However, when you take control of your schedule and mindset, you put yourself in the best position to be successful.
Kerriann Stout is a millennial law school professor and founder of Vinco (a bar exam coaching company) who is generationally trapped between her students and colleagues. Kerriann has helped hundreds of students survive law school and the bar exam with less stress and more confidence. She lives, works, and writes in the northeast. You can reach her by email at [email protected].