Sam Klein, Editor

While the holiday season usually causes an abundance of joy and cheer, impending final exams can lessen the ho ho ho’s and increase the oh no no no’s. Pressure to do well and wrap up the semester nicely can put you in a funk, so here is your guide for staying merry and bright.

1. Romanticize your life

Pretend you’re the main character. No really, do it. If you’re imagining yourself as the main protagonist of a film, you’d be surprised at how exciting you find the little things, or how aesthetic your environment becomes. Put on that cute outfit for no reason, get the coffee, light the candle. Make the mundane enjoyable. Incorporate little things that get you excited into your daily routines like listening to music while you brush your teeth as if you’re in a coming-of-age movie or working out like you’re in a training montage. Loving life can be a choice, and once you start to appreciate it, life will appreciate you back. 

2. Prepare, prepare, prepare. And then stop.

Exams, papers and projects can be stressful, the thought of doing them all perhaps nauseating. Unfortunately, however, the only way to get past them is to get through them. So get the work done. Study hard and feel proud of yourself for pushing through. Create a schedule for yourself that balances the class load, starting with the hardest stuff and transitioning into the easier. A funk can occur if you procrastinate on the work you don’t want to do because you feel like it’s too hard or you’re nervous about the outcome. The only way to prevent this is to just start. Once you feel like you’re prepared, however, stop. Under a little pressure you can shine like a diamond, but too much pressure and you’ll turn to dust. Get it done and then be done. Occupy your mind with things that bring you joy, learning when to ease back on yourself once the task at hand is complete. Avoiding a funk is about balance.

3. Express gratitude

Harvard reports that giving thanks for what you have can statistically make you happier. Therefore, when you’re down, focus your energy on the things you have and the people you appreciate. Especially when you’re experiencing strong, stressful emotions, it can be easy to pinpoint the negative. However, did you eat today? Did you wake up in a warm bed? Are you getting a college education? Is there a person in your life that makes you feel good? Reflect on the things you might otherwise take advantage of, shifting what could have been a negative mindset to one filled with gratitude.

4. Reward yourself

You studied? You deserve a sweet treat. You did your laundry? Yes! Reward yourself. Cleaned out your room? Boom, reward. Appreciate all the work you do and remember that you deserve compensation for being so amazing, even if you don’t always feel amazing. Part of being in a funk is a lack of appreciation for yourself and sometimes, even if you don’t think you “deserve it,” you just have to reward yourself anyway. According to Dr. Marc Dingman, rewarding yourself can result in increased levels of dopamine which increases your happiness overall! Therefore, the more you reward yourself, the happier you will be, and the more likely you’ll do the task again to feel the same sort of satisfaction. And just like that you’ll be happy, productive, and funk-free!

Editor’s Note: Good luck to everyone taking final exams! May your stress levels be low, and exam scores high! Have a safe, healthy and fulfilling winter break ❤