How to bounce back after Mid-Terms
Photo courtsey of Unsplash.com
Hannah Hurst, Staff Writer
Every year in the month of October North Greenville University students must suffer through mid-terms. These daunting tests, ranging from multiple choice questions to true-false questions and long essays, create a heavy burden for some students to carry, pushing their mental abilities to peak performance. Sleep becomes a foreign concept to students attempting to cram in every bit of knowledge the night before a big test. Nerves run high and emotions plummet.
Thus, NGU offers its students a reward for successfully completing half of a semester, a glorious fall break. Nevertheless, for some students, fall break isn’t enough to get them back on track. Not all homes provide a relaxing environment for students to de-stress. Students with large families or loud, obnoxious pets can relate, going back home may not help you de-stress after midterms.
For students that returned from fall break feeling even more overwhelmed than before they left, some of NGU’s faculty and staff members offered to share their advice for how students can de-stress their lives.
Beth Ross, administrative Assistant for Campus Ministries, provided several helpful hints for how to de-stress. First, she recommends finding a place (not your dorm) on campus where you can relax. Some students enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the stud, while others enjoy the quietness of the prayer garden. Second, find some headphones and listen to your favorite music. Allow some time to just let yourself clear your mind. If these two steps don’t quite do the trick, Ross suggests grabbing a bite of your favorite dessert.
Ross also hosts Craft Club, which provides students with the opportunity to de-stress through fun, hands-on art projects. Students can attend Craft Club every other Friday from noon until 10 p.m. in the conference room below the cafeteria. Craft Club supplies students with free materials and grants them the flexibility to create whatever they like. Students can paint, make perler bead figures, weave bracelets, decorate ornaments, sew blankets and do much, much more in Craft Club. For students unsure of what to make or how to start, Ross has several “beginner level” crafts.
If you simply don’t have time in your schedule for craft club or you do not enjoy art, then Stuart Floyd, Director of Career Planning, offers a simple and quick alternative method for de-stressing. At the end of each semester, Floyd explained that he gets in his car and drives to the four-way stop by Einstein’s. From one stop sign to the next, and all the way through the intersection Stuart lets out a scream as loud as he can, at the top of his lungs. Floyd claims that this process allows him to quickly release all of his built up stress from the semester. After the ritual is over, Floyd will not allow himself to think any more about school stresses, and he feels much better.
If you still find yourself stressed out from school, then maybe the best way to feel better is to simply get off campus. Mary Diones, Reference Librarian, shared that her favorite way to de-stress is to spend time with her best friends. Diones recommended that stressed out students get out and see a movie. Grab a group of close friends and explore downtown Greenville or Travelers Rest. Go check out the endless number of amazing coffee shops around school. Pack an eno, make a picnic lunch and go on a hike, enjoying breathtaking sceneries. Any of these activities can help ease your mind and prepare you to finish the semester strong.
