Surviving the senior slump
I can’t bring myself to get anything done these days.
This is hard for me to admit as someone who connects their self-worth to their productivity. Usually, I don’t have any issues when it comes to getting work done, but this past month, all I’ve been able to do is stare at my to-do list in frustration. I barely even had the motivation to write this blog post.
I would call it seniorits but I honestly hate that word. Not everyone has the opportunity to go to college, and to throw away your last semester just because you don’t want to be there feels ungrateful. I am eternally thankful for the experiences I’ve had throughout college and that I’ve made it this far into my education.
But I’m seriously struggling.
I’ve been snoozing my alarm three to four times each morning because I don’t want to get out of bed. I have a hard time focusing on classes that aren’t my capstone. I find myself waiting for the weekend all week long. And when I do get around to the things that I’ve been dreading, it takes me three times longer to get them done than it typically would.
To be completely transparent, the anxiety that comes with post-grad job/internship search has been debilitating. I can’t stop thinking and stressing about what I will be doing three months from now. Every night I lay in bed and panic about what I’m going to do when time runs out.
But despite all of the crappy feelings that come with looking for a job, I’m going to have to suck it up and finish this school year strong. There are far worse things to be struggling with in this world.
For this blog post, I’ve decided to research a few methods to increase productivity and decrease anxiety levels. I’ll test these out throughout the rest of this semester and will report back in a few months. That is if I can muster up the motivation to do so.
Without further ado, here are the new habits I am going to try to develop this month:
Tips on how to get through senior year
Go to bed earlier.
Although I feel like I already go to bed at a relatively normal time, I think the repeated snoozing of my alarm might be a sign that I’m not getting enough sleep. I typically get about 6 hours of sleep a night, which might not be enough considering I run a lot. I’m going to try going to bed by 10:30 pm at the absolute latest and see if I notice any differences.
Use the Pomodoro method.
How could I forget about Pomodoro? The Pomodoro method is a time management tool that consists of 25-minute work stretches followed by a 5-minute break after each. I used to use the Pomodoro method a lot but seem to have forgotten about it. I’m going to try to implement it into my homework routine as much as I can.
Go on regular walks.
On the days when I’m feeling anxious about the job search or unable to get anything done, I’m going to go on a walk around my campus to reset and refocus. In the past, I’ve found that it helps me clear my mind, so hopefully, it will work now.
Think action before emotion.
Through my research, I learned that when we’re feeling low, we can get into a cycle of feeling down and not being motivated to finish the things we need to do. This becomes a vicious cycle of feeling worse and worse. The notion of “action before motivation” says that motivation comes once you start doing the task you’ve been dreading. This basically means, “suck it up and get it done to feel better.”
Use the 5 minute rule.
This tip goes hand-in-hand with the last one. If there’s something you’ve been putting off, say to yourself, “I’m going to work on this for 5 minutes,” and see how you feel afterward. Chances are, you’ll probably want to continue working on the task if the “action before emotion” tip is true.
Journaling.
Despite considering myself a writer, I can’t seem to keep a daily journal, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try. I’ve created a Google doc and will write in it every day, regardless of whether it is productive or not. I’m going to write about the positives and negatives of each day and maybe include some ways to solve the issues I’m facing.
If you’re reading this blog post, there’s a good chance you’re one of my friends facing the senior slump. Hopefully, this blog gives you some ideas for the rest of the semester and helps with the tough emotions that come with the post-grad job search. Good luck!
