March Madness is in full affect, and no I’m not talking about all the crazy stuff that’s going on with the NCAA basketball tournament, or the weather! I’m talking about how crazy it is to think about all the things that we (as students) have to do this month!
It’s a grind. You have to study for finals or get major projects done, and oh by the way, get your brackets in for March Madness. And while all that is going on, you can't stop thinking about Spring Break coming up! Talk about going nuts!
It really is a bunch of madness this month. Trying to keep your head on straight can be pretty difficult, but here are a few things you can do to calm yourself down, and help ease the chaos that is going on these coming weeks.
1. Organize Your Priorities
Stay Proactive. Every morning or evening I try figuring out what I need to get done for the week. In the morning I'll create a to-do list that involves my priorities for that day. In the evening I'll do it again, but instead create a checklist to see what I've accomplished that day & what still needs to get done.
It's a great way to keep your head screwed on with the busy weekdays.
2. Be active, find an outlet.
Once you've figured out what needs done, it becomes so much easier to have some “you time”. For me that's usually working out, yoga, or playing volleyball (whenever I can). You don't need to go crazy doing a bunch of stuff, just go for a walk! It's a great way to clear your head.
3. Socialize.
Yes Socialize! Yeah, I know there's a bunch of things to get done but I truly believe that spending time with friends or significant others can really help keep things in perspective. Even if you just go to study with them at a coffee shop or something. If I didn't have my friends to talk to, I'd go nuts. I'm lucky to have some great friends that remind me that I need to calm down instead of overwhelming myself with my busy schedule.
4. Talk to your loved ones.
Recently I've been in contact with my parents a lot more, and as much as they use to stress me out, I've found now-a-days that talking with them has helped me de-stress, clear my head and put complex things into perspective. Sometimes I think I know it all and don't feel as though I need to talk with them to figure life out, but the reality is they do know (a lot) and they have so much advice to offer. My dad would often say “been there – done that!”
I don't talk to my parents’ every day, but I definitely try finding time to talk to them whether it's a call, text, or email. My mom loves sharing memes and videos with me on Facebook, so that's an option too! ; )
5. Self-Reflect
This is something I try doing every night before I head to sleep. It puts thing into perspective when times are tough. Reminding myself of how fortunate I truly am; of how blessed I am to have such great people around me. They cheer me on, lift me up and bring me back to earth when my head drifts into the clouds. Everything I have in this life motivates me to be the best at what ever I need to do and to never give up.
“I accept chaos; I'm not sure whether it accepts me.”
― Bob Dylan
