Throughout high school, I was constantly going through what are called “waves of extremes”: fluctuations of intense stress and work followed by persistent low-energy periods. While I somehow managed to make it through the 4 years with this pattern (and I’m sure many others can relate), I’ve definitely realized that this doesn’t work the same in college.
First and foremost, the basic structure of college classes, assignments, tests, etc. are different. As opposed to daily classes and assignments alongside frequent testing, college is much more spaced out, with a class only 2 days a week and exams about once a month. While this may sound appealing, the workload is also higher, especially given the current circumstances, and it simply means that more of the responsibility to keep up with the never-ending content is yours. Do you see why these waves of extremes won’t cut it anymore?
For both myself and many of my friends, it feels as if the work never ends--and in all honesty, it doesn’t really. As soon as you finish one assignment, there’s 10 more to do. Even if you’re not working on an assignment, you could be studying, taking notes, watching lectures, etc.; it can easily become extremely draining over a period of time. Waves of extremes give you the sense that you’ll be able to have a big break sometime after finishing a pile of work. Unfortunately, as harsh as this sounds, this break won’t really come until the semester is over. Putting all your hope and pushing yourself towards an ever-delaying date can be extremely discouraging, and it’ll ultimately lead to burnout.
On the other hand, a much more manageable form of energy, not just time, is moderating your levels on a daily basis and playing the game long-term. This means taking care of yourself every single day, or as frequently as possible. You don’t want to wait until you mentally or physically can’t take it anymore, but instead, actively replenish your energy levels and check in on yourself.
For me, this means trying to exercise for 30 minutes every day (except for rest days), pushing myself to get to bed on time and get an adequate amount, and planning my daily and weekly schedules so that I can breathe and relax during meals or in the evening. It’s all about knowing what works best for you--what time of the day you’re most productive, when your energy levels start dropping, and methods to bring them back up.
If you still feel overly tired or distraught with this schedule, make small changes here and there. The most important step is prioritizing a balance so that you don’t become reliant on the misconceptions of the waves of extremes; it simply won’t be as beneficial in the long term. So give it a try and see how much better you’ll feel and the reflection it’ll have on both your academic and personal life.
We hope you enjoyed this article. For more content on how to find your academic success, check out some of our articles here on Starry Scholar. If you have any questions/comments, feel free to leave them in our “Community Discussion” tab, or email us at @[email protected]! Remember, you got this ☆
For both myself and many of my friends, it feels as if the work never ends--and in all honesty, it doesn’t really. As soon as you finish one assignment, there’s 10 more to do. Even if you’re not working on an assignment, you could be studying, taking notes, watching lectures, etc.; it can easily become extremely draining over a period of time. Waves of extremes give you the sense that you’ll be able to have a big break sometime after finishing a pile of work. Unfortunately, as harsh as this sounds, this break won’t really come until the semester is over. Putting all your hope and pushing yourself towards an ever-delaying date can be extremely discouraging, and it’ll ultimately lead to burnout.
On the other hand, a much more manageable form of energy, not just time, is moderating your levels on a daily basis and playing the game long-term. This means taking care of yourself every single day, or as frequently as possible. You don’t want to wait until you mentally or physically can’t take it anymore, but instead, actively replenish your energy levels and check in on yourself.
For me, this means trying to exercise for 30 minutes every day (except for rest days), pushing myself to get to bed on time and get an adequate amount, and planning my daily and weekly schedules so that I can breathe and relax during meals or in the evening. It’s all about knowing what works best for you--what time of the day you’re most productive, when your energy levels start dropping, and methods to bring them back up.
If you still feel overly tired or distraught with this schedule, make small changes here and there. The most important step is prioritizing a balance so that you don’t become reliant on the misconceptions of the waves of extremes; it simply won’t be as beneficial in the long term. So give it a try and see how much better you’ll feel and the reflection it’ll have on both your academic and personal life.
We hope you enjoyed this article. For more content on how to find your academic success, check out some of our articles here on Starry Scholar. If you have any questions/comments, feel free to leave them in our “Community Discussion” tab, or email us at @[email protected]! Remember, you got this ☆