It is unavoidable: Toward the end of the semester, we all experience an overwhelming amount of work from our courses. Currently, my head is spinning from all of the projects, exams and finals approaching. We have approximately three weeks left of classes, and it amazes me how so much can be assigned in such a short period of time. This is our time as students to prove we accumulated knowledge in the course of the semester. Our academics are the most important part of our college career but we also need experience in our field of study. This leads to joining groups and organizations and our time is spread thin.

Since beginning college, I have experienced what I like to call “The End-of-Semester Blues.” One might wonder what this is; I like to define it as a time period of feeling overwhelmed, overworked and a case of laziness. After working hard and pouring all of my energy into my studies, I become quite drained. But I have to finish just as strong as I started. For all of the hardworking students out there, I am sure you can relate. My case of “The End-of-Semester Blues” is so strong I have begun counting down the days to winter break.

Fortunately, there are tips and solutions to reducing stress so we can finish the semester on a strong note. For the next few weeks, partying might not be the best idea as this is the time to crack down and really study. In reality, very few people can party and make time to study so if you cannot handle doing both, be wise and choose studying.

At Kent State, we are very fortunate to have a library with many resources. It might be too late to set up a scheduled tutor, but walk-in tutoring is offered on the first floor of the library for subjects in science, math and economics. Students can visit the Academic Success Center website to view schedules for subjects. If you have an exam that you need to study for, or you simply just want to polish your knowledge, this is a great study tool. An ample amount of rest is also important to excel in our courses. We cannot function if we do not have enough rest, and our scores on tests can decrease a great deal.

The Student Recreation and Wellness Center also provides a variety of activities to reduce stress during this time of the semester. Taking a break to blow off steam is very beneficial, and you should reward yourself after studying hard. Even if a student does all of the beneficial things to reduce stress and maintain decent grades, time management is key. Make the best of your time, and it will definitely pay off. Although sometimes it seems impossible, we can do it all. This might require caffeine, and a lot of it, but we are fully capable of being successful in our extracurricular activities.