Finding time to relax is difficult to do during the school year, and especially difficult during midterms. Each class operates differently, so you may end up with a bunch of tests jammed into one week, or a couple tests spread out across a few weeks. Either way, most students find themselves constantly spending long sessions in their rooms or at the library desperately trying to cram. Midterm season, however, is the most important time to take breaks. Letting yourself relax and unwind is a crucial part of the day, and a necessary part of the studying process.
At this point in the semester, I find myself taking two types of breaks. Short social media breaks that last 5-10 minutes and happen as I’m working on a single assignment, and longer Netflix breaks. The short breaks are helpful recharges when I’m breaking up a long task, and the long breaks are usually rewards. The problem with the short breaks is that when I’m not paying attention and just zone out into my phone, they tend to last longer than 10 minutes.
One tradition I started looking forwards to over midterm season was my lunch (or post lunch) long break. If I didn’t go to the dining hall with my friends, I would get a take out lunch from one of the cafes on campus, bring it back to my room, and eat it with some Netflix. I thought of it as a reward for surviving my morning classes, and a good opportunity to watch some shows. Luckily, this time period coincided with the release of short Netflix series like Squid Games and Midnight Mass, so I had plenty of quality content to binge.