The start of university for me was very much like coursework, revision, coursework, revision, and then as a break I’d probably treat myself to some coursework… You know, just for a change. Well yeh I kind of made it hard for myself, just a little bit…. I worked long hours, no breaks. There was a lot of falling asleep on my laptop, waking up to ‘3789ehdkcfjoldolicgv ;idifpesa’ added to the end of my essay. Oops.

I was actually working way harder than I needed to and getting way too stressed! Now it’s the exam period, and a lot of people are also getting way, way too stressed. Ok let’s just put things in to perspective, it’s an exam – important to you? Yes. But it’s an exam, if you fail the exam your head isn’t going to fall off, well at least I hope not… Stop the stress, stop the worrying and start the efficiency! You need to put aside some time for yourself! Honestly having time to do the things I wanted, not only put me in a good mood for starting my work, but also released a lot of stress and allowed me to think a lot clearer. I find it funny how we all spend a lot of time doing things we don’t enjoy. Ironically less time working actually improved my grades. It’s about working smarter not harder, replacing long hours with short and efficient hours.

Soooo….. What do you actually do during this “me time”, well during the exam periods Loughborough offers different stress relief activities such as puppy petting and free yoga sessions. The puppy petting sounds very random I know. But it makes sense! Petting an animal can increase levels of the stress-reducing hormone oxytocin and decrease production of the stress hormone cortisol. But don’t ask me how, I don’t know, I’m just very talented at googling. I attended both yoga and the puppy petting session; the dogs were really friendly and really cute, oh and yeh same for the yoga instructor…

I also attend Aqua aerobics and swimming, one because it’s something to do, two because it’s relaxing, and three my Dad says I need to get use out of my gym membership… In the last session I went to we had to put this waddle between our legs and pretend we were riding a bike, treading water. Not as weird as you’re imagining I promise, even weirder… I really couldn’t stop laughing, it was so much fun and I’m pretty sure I walked out of the pool with abs…

http://loughboroughsport.com/fitness-classes/timetable/#2016-06-13

^ thought I’d add a link in for you, do enjoy, but don’t steal my waddle at aqua aerobics.

Ok so I’m making out like I’m some cool fitness freak, not quite. Yeh I go to the gym, but I’m also the girl who could probably finish off two desserts after her main course. All I have to say is Dolcino’s… You should try it as a revision break! It’s an Italian named, American themed, English served dessert place in Loughborough (how cultured). It’s my fave. My friends and I took a little trip there (no I’m lying, make that plural). This was usually as a work break or a pat on the back, here’s an ice cream ‘well done me’ trip. From my halls (Faraday) it’s like a twenty minute walk into town, which is great as it means that eating out is always on the cards. Although my student funds do tell me otherwise…

Life can be stressful I know, and I’m not saying that by eating dessert I managed to pull a first. What I’m saying is that sometime you need a break and you have to deal with stress positively. So as well as the standard getting enough sleep and eating properly, you need to learn to relax.

Loughborough holds a lot of random lectures and workshops such as positivity lectures and the occasional self-esteem workshop. Now I attended the ”Art of Brilliance” lecture due to a spontaneous why not moment, and surprisingly I actually learnt a lot from it. All the little things that used to bother me no longer do, I guess you could say I adopted a different mind-set. The guy giving the talk told us random things such as how Monday mornings have negative connotations, of zombie-like movements and watching the clock till it’s the end of the day. He then said “Why not look at Mondays as if they were Fridays, and why not achieve the same as you do on Tuesday on a Monday?”.

Now this may sound a little weird I know, but it kind of made me think well why not… Ok I’m going to go all philosophical on you now… Have you ever heard the phrase ‘a glass half full not a glass half empty’. Well yeh, basically meaning look at the positive, or that the guy who said that just wanted a refill of diet coke? But you know which ever one takes your fancy. Staying positive actually releases a lot of stress! When you believe you can do something, it actually makes almost everything possible. Just going to highlight the word ALMOST, not wanting any ‘I believe I can fly’ moments…

So here’s a lovely little summary for you… Basically take a break, do something for yourself, and maybe try something to release stress like puppy petting or yoga… Why not? Get plenty of exercise and stay positive. Oh and be in bed for 7pm and eat all your greens darling….