Breaktime!!!

Folks do some ridiculous, but necessary, things during exam time.  Like (I've heard) staying up for 48 hours at a time, running exclusively on energy drinks, coffee, and energy bars. These are the times when I often hear folks complain that their brains are practically overheating. I passed a group of students as I was headed towards the cafeteria and I heard one exclaim, "I am sssooo not even kidding. My  brain has developed a serious case of lockjaw". Now, you know that things are serious when your brain has lockjaw. Sometimes, all that your overworked brain requires is a breather so that it can power back up. The question is, what things can you do during this micro break that will help give yourself a much-needed boost? I know that it's starting to get a "little bit" nippy out there  (Just a smidge... just a tad...). But you can actually use that to your advantage - a quick blast of cold, fresh air can do wonders when you're hunkered down at the library for the long haul.  Sometimes I stretch my legs by taking a short a walk outside.  One of the advantages to attending U of T is that we are situated downtown. This means that there are a lot of ways that you can take a time out. The ROM (Royal Ontario Museum). Whether you're interested in fine art, natural history, or archeological relics, the ROM offers glimpses of it all.  General admission is $24.00, but the ROM is free on Wednesdays from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm, and they offer half-price admission on Fridays from 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm. I've gone a few times, and my favorites are the natural history sections. Dinosaurs, rocks, and the bat cave rule  :-). The ROM is wheelchair accessible. The Bata Shoe Museum: a museum about shoes??? Don't knock it until you try it!  If you want to try something different, you should definitely check this spot out. Located at the corner of St. George and Bloor streets, this museum offers a unique look at humanity through the various forms of footwear that have arisen. Admission is normally $14.00, but on Thursday evenings from 5 to 8 pm, admission is pay-what-you-can, with a suggested donation of $5.00. The Bata Shoe Museum is also wheelchair accessible. If you want to take a slightly longer break, you can take a walk through Yorkville. I can't think of a more relaxing activity than window shopping  🙂 . Or, walk towards Bathurst street and browse through the books at BMV bookstore. Or, you don't even have to step off of campus  -you can burn off that excess stress by running or lifting wieghts at the Hart House Athletics Centre.  Whatever you choose to do, the act of stepping away from your textbook can work wonders towards sharpening your mind and enabling you to retain way more matieral than attempting to read non-stop for hours on end.