According to the American Psychological Association, stress can make us fatigued, unable to concentrate, irritable, depressed and give us headaches. All of those symptoms will inhibit one's ability to get work done during this busy week of finals.
It's almost finals week, everyone! As you prepare for the next couple weeks of intense studying, keep these study tips in mind to use your precious time as efficiently as possible.
Thursday afternoon, kitchens across America will be utilized to their maximum capacities. Mashed potatoes, gravy and veggies will cover the stove, while the stuffing, pies and turkey compete for space in the oven. After a whole day spent preparing a Thanksgiving meal, the food will be consumed under an hour and many Americans will then fall asleep on the couch watching football.
When I think about Thanksgiving, the first thing that pops into my mind is turkey. At my house, the whole day will be spent cooking stuffing, mashed potatoes and of course a giant turkey that we will stuff ourselves with during dinner. Due to all of the wonderful food we will be consuming next week, it is easy to lose track of the "thanks" part of Thanksgiving. Sharing what we are thankful for is not only a way to express gratitude to family and friends but is also an important contributor to our happiness.
The holidays are approaching quickly. Thanksgiving is a mere two weeks away, and after that, we have only three weeks left until winter break! Some of us will choose to stay at home for the holidays, while others see these breaks as the perfect opportunity to get out of town and travel.
This morning as I got dressed, I found myself reaching for my jeans before considering wearing shorts. In my mind, that means that cool weather has officially graced us with its constant presence, at least for a few months. For several of my friends, this colder weather brings happiness to their lives, as they don their cozy sweaters and pants for the cool months ahead. For others, the end of the warm season brings nothing but shivering and misery.
Last week was a terrible academic week — all of my tests were squished into a five-day period. Amidst all of the grueling studying, I took study breaks and listened to calming instrumental music by Andy McKee. I found that my mood would quickly change and become happier, and I could feel myself relaxing within minutes.
It's midway through the fall semester, so it may be a good time check in with your weekly routine and see if there's anything you would like to change. I would certainly like to improve my study skills, and I would also like to exercise more. My excuse to skip the gym is generally that I don't have enough time to exercise, but in reality I am having trouble motivating myself.
We are a couple weeks into October, which means that Halloween is approaching quickly. There is already a Halloween-candy section in the grocery store and pumpkins available for sale all over Gainesville. Also, just a couple hours away, there are two super scary attractions taking over theme parks. Howl-O-Scream is now at Tampa's Busch Gardens until Oct. 29 and Halloween Horror Nights is at Universal Studios until Oct. 31.
What do you think makes a good student? Your response may include that a person must go to class, understand the material, study hard and take tests well. These are all important aspects of being a good student, yet there are also factors involved that may at first seem counterintuitive. Success in school also depends on how you compare your performance to others and how happy you are.
Solutions by The State News
