Now that we are at the mid-point in the semester, there are probably many students (including myself) that are beginning to feel the pressure of midterms exams, midterm projects, and papers. Twice a term, all of the due dates come crashing down at once. Although I definitely still experience stress during these weeks, I have finally found several methods that have helped alleviate this stress.
One method is time blocking. This term, I am taking three classes, and am working as a software engineer intern 20 hours a week. Time blocking has been one of my primary methods used to get my work organized and done in a timely manner. For example, I work my 20 hours for my internship on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursday mornings. Then, I set aside all day Wednesday and Sunday to work on my capstone project. On Thursday afternoons/evenings I am usually able to complete my weekly usability work, which leaves Fridays and Saturdays to work on my algorithms course. Having these set times for the different types of work help with organization, which greatly reduces my overall stress.
Another method I have personally found that has helped me navigate school and work stress is completing smaller tasks first. I like to think of this method as a “snowball” effect. Although this does not particularly help with reducing work loads, I find it a stress reliever as the number of tasks that need to be completed in my head quickly gets reduced.
My final stress-reducing method is simple: rest and get enough sleep. While I was completing my first degree, I pulled many all-nighters in order to complete homework or study for exams. Now, I have realized how much improvement it has been to get plenty of sleep the night before an exam, or to take regular breaks to let information sink in.
I hope these tips help during “crunch” time, as I know they have helped me. Good luck!
