Your Destination: Graduation! Join us for a full-slate of seminars on success-topics throughout the semester. Interested in tips to polish your writing skills? need to know about all the resources UMKC provides? how to manage stress and test anxiety? smarter ways to study? how to make your resume and cover letter stand out from the crowd?
Click here for the full schedule of success seminars.
These topics and more are covered during weekly seminars hosted in the Atterbury Student Success Center by Academic Support and Mentoring, Career Services, MindBody Connection, UMKC Central, UMKC Libraries, and the Writing Studio.
[Guest post by Kathleen Ramo, Bachelor of Health Sciences student in the School of Nursing]
As the final weeks of the semester creep up on us and we start realizing the many homework assignments, quizzes, papers, and projects that are left to do we realize the deadlines are right around the corner and stress induces. One of the most important things to remember while facing a heavy load of work is to keep our stress to a minimum. I personally have a few things I like to do to reduce stress and clear my mind so I can get through my work with ease. My stress reducing techniques include:
- Getting plenty of rest. Even though we sometimes find ourselves cramming until the wee hours of the night, studies show that a restful night’s sleep helps us perform better.
- Take a power nap. If you find yourself dozing off while studying take a 20-30 minute nap to help recharge your batteries.
- Go for a walk. Fresh air does more for us than we will ever know. Plus, getting some exercise helps stimulate your body.
- Listen to music. Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed I put in my headphones and enjoy. Sometimes music helps get your mind off of whatever you’re thinking about so whenever you take your headphones out you have a clear mind to get back into whatever work you have.
- Take a relaxing bath.
- Find something that makes you laugh whether it be television, a movie, or calling up a hilarious friend.
- One of the most effective things I do to keep my stress levels low is to prepare for exams, papers, and projects in advance. If you know you have assignments due the week before finals the time to start preparing is now!
- Lastly, reward yourself. Set up something fun to do after you’ve finished your stressful week to unwind.
I hope these ideas helped, because I know we are all starting to feel the effects of stress as the semester comes to an end. Remember, there are three weeks until finals: the time to start preparing for those big projects and papers was yesterday. Stay relaxed and good luck!
Sign up for a Free Research Coaching Sessions with a UMKC Librarian
We all need to use an Ask the Expert lifeline once in a while. Lucky for you, UMKC Librarians are expert researchers and are always happy to help.
Sign up for a free 15, 30, or 60-minute coaching session for your study group or just for yourself. During your session, you can expect the librarian to help you develop a search strategy, choose the best databases, locate both popular and scholarly/peer reviewed sources, and give you insider search tips.
Whether you have no idea how to start your research or you’re struggling to find relevant sources, a Research Coaching Session is just what you need to write a stress-free, A+ paper!
Spring break is in TWO WEEKS! Going from mid-January to the end of March with no breaks is tough, but it’s tougher to take a week off with no plan for when you get back!
First things first–sit down with your calendar and class syllabi and make a list of all the assignments due for the rest of the semester. This will help you put everything into perspective and give you set of short-term and long-term goals. For each assignment, think about how long it will take you to complete it–you should now have an idea of your study habits and how long it takes to read class materials. And by thinking about this now, nothing should sneak up on you after break!
So, right now you should also be thinking about those assignments due just after break. Take some time now to work ahead and finish these assignments before you leave or make other plans for the week. That way, if something does come up, you can go without feeling stressed about all the work you have left!
Spring Break is supposed to be relaxing, spending time with friends and family. But if you do need to catch up on classwork, make sure you plan some time to take a break. One idea is to work on assignments in the morning and then take the rest of the day to relax and get outside. It’s always best to do your work first–then you can reward yourself with an afternoon movie or dinner out with friends.
Careful planning can make Spring Break a true break, no matter where you go or stay. Plan now and you can come back to school refreshed and energized!
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