It’s officially that time of the year! Now unfortunately I am not referring to Christmas time, but rather the dreaded week we all must face before we can go home for some much needed family time. Finals are officially upon us and most of us have hit that point in the semester. The point where you’re beyond sick, but keeping a positive attitude and telling yourself you’re “fine” because you can’t afford to miss anymore lectures. Maybe for some of us we are still at the point where we feel like we blinked after midterms and all the sudden we’re in study week unsure of what any of our grades are. If you’re at either of those points or overall just feeling stressed, breathe it’s okay. Sometimes we are going to feel like we have our entire life together and are rocking this whole “adulting” thing, but other times we can’t even remember to buy toilet paper, it happens. The important thing to remember is we are all human, we all have to make mistakes in order to learn from them, and this too shall pass.  

If you’re feeling stressed about anything whether it be work, school, extra-curricular activities, or simply just overwhelmed I have two words for you that can help bring back your contagious smile. In the middle of the semester I decided to try going to Academic Coaching simply because if its included in my tuition, I might as well take advantage and try it out. Many of you are probably thinking, “What in the world is Academic Coaching?” and my honest answer is I have no idea, but somehow it changed my life. When I initially met with my Academic Coach  she pulled out a weekly schedule that had every hour between 7am-10pm written with a blank box next to it. She told me to go through my priorities and write out my daily schedule. In my head I listed everything I needed to balance in a day: school, work, dance, study hours, homework time, and workout hours. After I was done I proudly showed my Academic Coach my schedule and she said, “That is a great schedule, but what about “me time”?”. I looked at her blankly and stated, “Why would I need “me time”? I don’t have time for “me time””. She then explained that everyone needs “me time” and if we don’t have time for it then we have to make time for it. Even ten minutes of “me time” a day can leave you smiling more and worrying less.

“Me time” can truly be anything you want it to be as long as it makes you happy and helps you let go of stress and worry. This time should be spent doing something you enjoy that also clears your mind. It is important to try different things and find what works best for you and makes you smile more. Here are just a few examples of things I’ve tried or things you can try for your “me time”:

• Meditation
  
• Go on a walk
• Yoga
• Read a book
• Try using a facial mask
• Enjoy a bath
• Write a poem
• Keep a journal

I have found that putting on a facial mask while reading a chapter of one of my favorite self-help books twice a week and writing out my worries in a journal has completely transformed my mood. After my “me time” I am left feeling refreshed and once I write down my worries I am able to let them go or write out a solution. Regardless of what you decide works best for your “me time”, the key to making it successful is being consistent and making time for it. Especially when you’re faced with a stressful situation such as finals, let your mind and body take a break so it can be happy and healthy. The most important thing to do is to fill your mind with positive thoughts and always let your smile shine through.

Wishing everyone the best of luck on their finals, remember to keep a positive mindset and make time for “me time”!

Love Always,

Malorie