Distress

Life always seems to have it’s obstacles, but this year has been more trying than others. 

UNC has never been easy when it comes to academics, and a pandemic is something that nobody could’ve expected when we made plans for 2020. You’d think as the pandemic went on you would find ways to cope with our “new normal,” but I feel like every month brings its own challenges that I’ve been struggling to deal with. 

While I am excited that November means the end of this semester is only a couple of weeks away, that also means that finals are a couple of weeks away as well. It’s no doubt that this semester is far from normal, but one thing has stayed the same: The stress that finals bring. On top of trying to get our grades together by the end of the semester, we have to deal with the stress of a pandemic and a life-changing election. COVID-19 numbers are rising and the U.S. has hit a record number of cases. The election takes place exactly two weeks before the last day of classes. 

I know I can’t be the only student who feels overwhelmed and in desperate need of some distressing. 

This past weekend I experienced the most traumatic event of my life. It resulted in me coming home and being with my family. This is helping me to distress, but I feel like as the semester comes to a close, things just seem to get even harder. 

Aside from the madness that is this school year, I have to stop myself sometimes and just take a break. The work will get done, assignments will be turned in, but I have to put my mental health first. I can’t continue to pull all-nighters in order to get work done. That will just add onto my stress. The body needs a break and sleep will allow me to recharge. It’s little things like this that can make a huge difference in the long run.

With only a couple of weeks left in the semester, I’m trying to plan how I will navigate school through a pandemic during the spring semester. I know things will be nowhere how they used to be in terms of normalcy, but I do know I won’t let stress get the best of me. 

I have to take care of myself right now so that I can even make it to next semester. 

Focusing on yourself and doing what you can to distress right now will make a major difference in the months to come.