By Ashton Johnson
University Housing

Hey guys! It is that time of the semester that we all dread.

Midterms are piling up, all of our classes are assigning projects at the same time, and to top it off, there’s at least a million different things going on in our personal lives.

It is completely normal to be stressed and worried, however, as I heard a wise man once say, “It’s OK to not be OK, but it’s not OK to stay that way!”

Mental breaks are healthy and necessary in this season because it allows us to step back, refresh and view our assignments and test prep with a renewed mind.

Today, I want to share with you some quick tricks and tips I have found to help me out whenever I needed a good mental break over the past few years here at the University of Arkansas.

1. Get off campus!

Sometimes the best refresher is to get away from all things “school” and be put into a new environment! Often times, you can find me at the Starbucks off of MLK every Tuesday knocking things off my checklist way faster than if I was sitting in my residence hall or in a study space.

2. See a week night movie!

About once or twice a semester, I treat myself to a nice Tuesday (discount night) movie. It’s not always the most convenient time and I normally go by myself, but that time alone with no outside interaction usually helps me tremendously. If a night at the movie theater isn’t your thing, spend the evening reading a good book or stay home and binge your favorite show. Relaxing by enjoying yourself is something we all need!

3. Splurge!

Girl, you go get that large Andy’s custard. Man, if you want it, go get that Torchy’s breakfast taco. As playful and tacky as “Treat yo ‘self” sounds, you deserve the right to be happy in the midst of the trying times. Allow yourself to get that snack, enjoy it, then get back to the grind.

4. Hang out with your friends!

This one is usually the first to go when things get busy and hard, but relaxing with friends will absolutely help with the mental break to get ready to finish strong. Relaxing with friends is an easy way to get a mental break. You don’t have to do anything special, social interaction can happen anywhere.

These are just a few of the ways I have personally taken a good mental break. Breaks are hard to schedule, especially when it feels like the work load is never ending, but when done right, they can give you the boost you need to finish well and stay healthy.

Make sure to go to our Instagram page and let us know your favorite way to take a mental break.

Woo Pig and Thanks!