We have reached the time of the year where students are more and more tired every day. The end of third quarter, the longest quarter of the year has arrived and most students feel defeated. Some tend to procrastinate; others don’t do anything at all. Stress can take over and not many people know how to deal with it in an effective manner. As a junior, stress has taken over me, and it hasn’t necessarily helped me. I tend to procrastinate, even though I end up regretting it at the end when I open up Plus Portals. Here are some ways to deal with third quarter depression/stress when you don’t know what to do with yourself.

1. Be organized and use your time wisely

Many students aren’t very organized when it comes to knowing what assignments to complete and managing their time correctly. One of the things that had helped me the most was creating a “To Do List.” This strategy is effective when it comes to organization, I know when to turn in my assignments and what I have to do. As soon as I’m done, I’ll draw a check mark next to it so I know I completed it. You can set reminders to start studying for important quizzes and tests. Make sure you have all the supplies you need!

2. Take notes in class

Usually, I understand any topic I’m learning about when I write detailed notes. You can be creative as this is your opportunity to be innovative while still learning. If you hate math and still have to take notes, use fun colors, fonts and strategies that are going to make you want to learn. Then, you can look back at them and use them for any assignments you might be stuck on.

3. Don’t slack off

When leaving everything for last minute, students tend to fall behind and all the work they have to make up piles up. This can affect a student’s academic life, and also their mental health. Anxiety and stress can kick in, and it’s an unpleasant feeling to say the least. When you’re on top of what you have to do, your grades can turn out to be better and stress levels are significantly reduced.

4. Create a balance

Just because third quarter is the longest quarter of the year and school can tend to be hard at times, you can still balance everything that makes you happy. If you enjoy reading, read for 30 minutes and do your assignments/study for another 30. You have all the resources to do things you like, while maintaining a good academic life, but you have to know how to do it. If you’re tired, take a one hour nap and spend another hour focusing on school.

These are all ideas that are compiled to make you a better student and to help you create better habits when it comes to school. For juniors and seniors it may be a little bit more stressful, but it’s still manageable. Don’t let third quarter depression hit you! Motivate yourself to excel in the next quarter before school ends.