Week ten?! Already? Yes. In a fantasy world, week ten sounds like a pretty amazing week; it is the end of Michaelmas, end of term Sugar is only around the corner and, of course, it is nearly Christmas. It’s basically a week filled with alcohol, flat Christmas dinners, Sugarhouse, secret Santa, end of term socials, the Christmas markets, and winter balls. In reality, week ten is deadline week (yes, I knew you had not forgotten). But how to meet/survive those evil, demanding and somewhat exhausting essay deadlines is the question we all need answering.
Get prepared.
Although this may be too late for most of you, when it comes to essays, there is no such a thing as ‘starting too early’. The earlier you start, the better. Pick your question and gather the books you need, after all, it is unbelievably annoying when you go to collect books from the library and realise everyone else has already grabbed them. Don’t be late and lazy.
Get lots of sleep.
An early night means an early start. Try to avoid all-nighters, which will not only mess up your body clock but also mentally drain you. Get an early night, yes this means avoiding the red bull or Sugarhouse bribes from your flatmates. You are more likely to produce good quality work when you’ve caught up on your eight hours of sleep and you aren’t walking round like a zombie. Wake up early and well rested, then plan your day. It makes it so much easier when you break your day down into small chunks, for example, 300 words in the morning and 300 words in the afternoon. Make your work load bite size and make lists.
No procrastination.
You probably are a perfectionist in procrastination (we’re not here to judge). But let’s be honest, while procrastination might seem like the easiest thing to do, it only steals your time. Try to stay focused on the task in hand and amazing things will happen. Remove any items around you that will allow you to drift and just power through your work load until your next allocated break.
Library.
Sick of working in that room where your bed is constantly calling to you? Mix up your working space; try the library, the learning zone, the kitchen, or even the park (impossible in Lancaster weather, I know). But try and find a place where the distractions are minimal, a place where you can relax and be productive.
Time management.
Utilise your time as it is precious! But also, try your best to finish your essay as soon as possible, this way you have plenty of time to proof read. What is more, leave enough time to submit your essay on Moodle, the worst thing that could happen is a technical error (something highly rare) in the very last minute. The time management is worth it if it means your essay won’t be handed in late.
Eat healthily.
Try to stay away from the junk food, it only makes you feel tired. Eat fruit, it is honestly the best course of action, not only does it keep your mind active but it’s healthy at the same time. Although, I cannot deny a good chocolate bar would not go a miss.
Finally, don’t stress.
This is the most important tip of all. Do not over stress; this will only lead to panic and thus, a very public break down in the library. Just breathe, make a cup of tea and think about what you need to get done. Remember… one bad piece of coursework is not the end of world.
