Pushing through your mid-semester slump

Now in week eight, the semester is already half over. For many, this is when school really starts to hit hard. You may feel like you’re completely lost in that class that should have been a piece of cake, or maybe you’re starting to question if that club you were so keen on joining back in August is still worth your time after all.

If this is you, you’re not alone. As stress, midterms and sleepless nights wear down on all of our resolves, it’s easy to feel like everything’s falling apart or that there’s no way you can possibly get everything done. However, the reality is that your workload often seems much worse than it actually is. They key to pushing through when you feel like you’re trapped in this mid-semester slump is finding ways to reframe your point of view to put everything in perspective. Here are three tried and true methods to help you make it through to finals:

1. Be realistic about where you stand in your classes
At this point, you’ve likely completed enough assignments that your grades are quickly becoming set one way or another. It should be becoming clear if that A is attainable, or if you’re hoping for a B-. This is the point in the semester when students start to really stress over grades, but one of the best ways to beat this senseless worrying is to simply be realistic. So maybe you bombed that midterm and an A is no longer in reach, but how about an
A-? Deep down we often know intuitively the outcome of our situation, but fear, pride and anger keep us from accepting reality. Instead, take a moment, set aside your pride and accept where you stand in your classes. Nothing kills your drive more than feeling like a class isn’t worth it because you can’t get the grade you want anymore. If you hold onto this negative mindset, the next seven weeks will be torture, guaranteed. So, accept where you stand and be realistic about what you can still achieve. It sounds silly to say, but it is truly amazing how much stress simply disappears when you set realistic goals.

2. Take time to hang out with those who truly matter
Though we all go through the same general pattern of midterms and papers each semester, it can often seem as though no one quite understands how you feel when you say you’re struggling. It may seem like no one is there for you when you really need some support. Too often, we get caught up in the rush of classes, clubs and events, and lose track of the fact that a real, heartfelt conversation with a true friend can do so much more than a hundred conversations with people who aren’t close enough to know or care about your struggles. So, take the time this week to get lunch with that friend you haven’t seen on campus lately, or schedule that dinner date you keep putting off. Being able to laugh, talk and confide in someone who truly knows you is often the cure you didn’t know you needed to get your mind back on track.

3. Go on an adventure off campus
With midterms and assignments perpetually on the horizon, going on an adventure can seem counterintuitive. However, sometimes getting away from it all (literally) can be just what you need to collect your thoughts and recharge. One of USC’s greatest assets is being so close to everything that L.A. has to offer, so take full advantage of that opportunity and go somewhere you’ve never been before. Being in an unfamiliar environment will  help you reframe your perspectives. It will take your minds off all your worries. Even something as simple as taking the metro downtown and wandering the streets of Downtown L.A. for a few hours can leave you feeling more refreshed and inspired than any energy drink or nap can.

The semester may be feeling more difficult, but that doesn’t mean you have to let it get to you. It’s all about the way you approach your stress, and how you choose to frame your perspective.