3 Ways to De-Stress During Midterm Season

Halloween isn’t the only scary thing in October… what scares university students the most: midterms. In the midst of midterms, it’s so easy to feel overwhelmed. What feels like endless readings and review questions, I sometimes feel like no there’s no room to breathe. This is why it is so important for me to find some time in the day to get my mind off of school. Whether it be crafting, hanging out with my family, or even talking to someone, I find ways to de-stress to avoid feeling burned out. Making time for my hobbies Some of my favourite hobbies are baking and crafting! There’s something about DIY projects that make me happy. I'm always craving sweets while I'm studying, so I love to bake sweets like brownies, muffins, or cookies!

I also really like to sew as well. I’ve recently learned how to makes scrunchies and I’m absolutely obsessed! Not only are scrunchies super cute, I personally think sewing is a really nice way to de-stress because once you get into the rhythm, it’s really calming! Plus, there’s always the satisfaction of successfully being able to make something all on my own, which is a nice feeling.

Reconnect During midterm season, I tend to isolate myself from the rest of the world. At school, everyone would be talking about midterms and this stresses me out even more. At home, I’m so busy studying that I just sit in the same place for 5-6 hours straight. While I’ve gotten used to this routine, I still make time in my day to reconnect with the world. It only takes small gestures like studying outside at a park bench instead of being cooped up in my (cold and dark) room, it can make a huge difference. Spending time with my family is my favourite way to de-stress. It’s nice to take a break from studying to watch a movie as a family or even playing a board game. Finding a balance between school life and family life is really important for me and reminds myself how important my relationships are to me, and that there is more to life than just school. Having an open mindset It’s so easy to only focus on my GPA, after all, isn’t that what I’m here for? This is the one thing I struggle with the most, yet, it is what makes me feel so stressed all the time. But at the end of the day, I remind myself that my GPA DOES NOT define me! While getting high grades is important, school is so much more than just getting a high GPA. The key message is that I do things that make me happy. Midterms season is a busy and very stressful time for everyone. Even then, it’s important to make time to do the things you love. While school is important, mental health is the most important! To all my fellow U of T students, hang in there. You can do this!