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4 tips for coping with stress in deadline week

It’s that time of year again! It doesn’t seem like two minutes since we were off enjoying summer, and yet suddenly we’re back at Uni and the first deadlines of the year are upon us. It’s always going to be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be unmanageable. Here are my tips for coping with stress in deadline week.

1. Remember you’re probably doing better than you think

How many of us have handed in an assignment thinking we’ve totally messed it up, only for it to come back with a decent grade? Probably most people. The thing is, anxiety has a tendency to make us super self critical, so it’s important that we don’t always trust it. Try asking a friend to read over your work, so that you can look at it from a fresh perspective.

2. Plan, plan and plan some more

Planning is my favourite way of dealing with stress in deadline week. It’s really easy to feel like you’re drowning in all the work you’ve got to do – when in actual fact there’s not actually that much! Planning helps you solve this problem. I reccomend writing all your tasks down on a piece of paper and then planning what you’re going to complete each day. It’s also a good excuse to get out the colourful stationery.

3. Take care of yourself

When we’re bogged down in deadlines, the temptation is always there to skip out on plans, sleep and even meals. Do not do this. If you’re not taking care of yourself, you won’t perform at your best. And nothing (including a degree) is worth compromising your general well being and mental health. Get plenty of rest, eat well and remember to take some time off occasionally!

4. Talk it out

If you really feel like you can’t cope, talk to someone. Have a moan with your friends, let your lecturer know you’re struggling (because they’ll probably be able to help) or talk to a student counsellor or advisor. You don’t have to deal with the stress alone – there’s plenty of support available to you.

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