As we start the second semester there is so much to look forward to like spring sports, Valentine’s day, Dance Blue, spring break, final college decisions, prom, and summer break. Before we get to the end of the semester there is so much as students that we have to get through. 

This coming semester is a lot like running a mile in a track meet. You start strong and determined to do just as good or even better than your last run. Two laps in, you start to get tired and want to give up and just drop to the ground. It feels as if your legs can’t carry you anymore. The same thing happens in the first few months back at school. This semester is longer than the last, so there are fewer breaks and more content that we have to take in.

It’s hard to keep your grades 100 with so much going on. I know myself, I tend to slack off in April and May. I have to work incredibly hard to make up for all the work I pushed aside.  It causes stress and unnecessary sleepless nights. 

Whether you’re a  freshman or upperclassman, it’s always best to give it your all no matter how tired or stressed out you may be, because if you can finish this semester strong, you will feel better in the long run. 

Sophomore student, Colin Kessler brought to my attention how important to him as an athlete it is to stay on his “A-game.” He stated, “As a student-athlete who tries hard in both swimming and school, it can be a bit overwhelming and stressful to stay on top of everything”.

As a person who also needs help to avoid the burnout of the second semester, I decided to look for good ways to stay on top of things in the next few months.

Here are five ways to avoid falling apart as many of us tend to do in the second semester. 

First is time management. Being able to keep everything on track can be difficult, but dividing up tasks and doing them each a little at a time, can make things much easier and can help in the long run. I always wait until Sunday to complete my work and study, which doesn’t work very well. Worrying about the work you need to get done on the weekend causes more stress than necessary. If you can work on the tasks just steps at a time, it will make everything ten times easier.

Staying active and on your feet can also be very helpful when keeping the brain alive and working. Going out for an hour just on a walk, swim, run, or bike ride can be very helpful. When you’re done you are likely to be more focused than before and determined to finish the rest of your work.

Switching up the scenery can be helpful as well. Instead of sitting at the same desk to do work, going out on a balcony or porch. It can always be better on a nice sunny day rather than being inside. Getting fresh air with beautiful scenery is another great way to get work done. 

Know your standards. It’s important to always remember what you want out of the second semester. Some students want to improve in sports and keep average in grades, others want to work harder for grades and not pay too much attention to sports. Along with time management, it’s important that as students we know whether we want to spend more time on a field or at a desk spending more time on what is more personally important to you.

Sleep. Easily one of the most important things to do after a long day is to get the intended hours of rest you need. One of the worst things someone can do to their body is to stay up all night to finish studying or finishing homework. It is an unhealthy habit to get into.

It can be hard going to sleep knowing there’s still work that needs to be done. What really won’t help is staying up all night because it usually causes more stress the next day and a higher feeling of anxiety. This can lead to a lack of motivation to do your work which will leave you feeling burnt out. Getting at least seven to nine hours of sleep will show a difference in how you take in information the next day.

Being able to keep these five things in mind during this second semester can help students avoid burning out and stay strong at the end of the school year.