How to Manage the Most Stressful Night Ever

So it’s a typical day at school. You come home, pretty exhausted. Then, it hits you: tonight is about to be the worst night of your life! You have a test, a quiz, an essay, a presentation and who knows what else all due the next day! How will you possibly survive it all Never fear! That’s where I come in! I’ll be the Dory to your Marlin! 1. Keep things in perspective Don’t panic. I know it’s overwhelming but it will be less overwhelming if you just get started and focus on the specific task at hand. In situations like this, it’s not helpful to look at the big picture. You’ll just start freaking out over how much you have to do. 2. Make a to do list and a schedule When you see everything you have to do written out on a single page, it can seem more manageable. Plus, you can make sure you aren’t forgetting anything. Once you have a complete list, block out your afternoon and night into chunks and schedule each item into a slot. This way, you can reassure yourself that you actually do have time to finish everything. Just make sure to stick to the schedule! This is not the time to procrastinate. 3. Give yourself breaks After you’ve finished an item on your to do list, give yourself a break or reward. This can be anything from a bowl of ice cream to a quick conversation with a friend to a power nap. Don’t forget to build these breaks into your schedule. For more ideas on good study breaks, check out my article: The Best Study Breaks. Breaks/rewards are important because they keep you motivated and combat your grumpy, stressed out mood. 4. Know when it’s time to give up If it’s very late at night, you’re extremely tired and you feel that can’t do a good job with your work anymore, just go to sleep! If you haven’t finished something, it’s not the end of the world. Sometimes you just can’t get to everything and you have to put your physical and mental health first. (Especially if you’ve been staying up late for many nights in a row.) Trust me, one late essay will not affect which college you end up going to. However, lack of sleep over many nights will make you feel terrible and decrease your productivity.