Are you in a slump? Are the prospect of finals and the pressure of impending projects and papers giving you the cold sweats? Are you procrastinating and making yourself stress worse than you already were? Are you future tripping into next semester, or maybe life passed college, and it’s getting you down?

Same. Same to all of that. I’m not sure what it is about this semester—I can’t put my finger on it—but it’s hitting different. Maybe it’s because I’m set to graduate in May of 2020 and I’m freaking out and feeling all senioritis-y; maybe it’s because I’ve got a lot of work to get done before Thanksgiving break. Most likely, it’s an unhealthy combination of all the above.

When I’ve physically, emotionally, figuratively and literally distanced myself from my responsibilities, I have some tricks to get my head back in the game. I’m going to share them here in hopes that they may inspire some to break out of that slump and fix their posture.

Slump is, like, slouching, y’know, bad posture. And so, by sharing my tips, I’m hoping to fix the “bad posture” of your habits. I digress.

When I’m slumping, experiencing a blockage between myself and my motivation, sometimes a little stroll can do the trick. Sometimes finding the motivation to walk is part of the problem. I understand that. You gotta pump yourself up another way.

Try turning on a song you can’t resist shouting along to—one that’s associated with good times and good people. I like “Someone New” by Hozier or “Lydia” by Highly Suspect, two completely different moods, but they both get me pumped.

If even pulling out your laptop is feeling like a weight unbearably heavy, maybe taking 30 minutes to an hour to yourself is what you need. Watch an episode of that show you’ve been meaning to catch up on. Call your friend and check in or vent. Call your mom and cry. We’re not judging here.

If an aspect of an assignment is tripping you up and causing you some blockage, move on to one of the other million assignments you’ve got due in the next couple weeks. Sometimes, your brain just needs to breathe and process. It’s kind of like when you’re trying to remember the name of an actor really hard, but it’s just not coming to you, and then you forget about it, and it comes to you.

If it feels like your brain is working against you, it probably is. If it feels like you’re not doing enough, you’re probably doing too much. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves. Take a step back, literally or figuratively, and let yourself breathe. Have patience with yourself. You are doing the most and you’re doing your best.

Megan Keane is a senior English and psychology major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or at mkkeane@eiu.edu.