October 22, 2007 | Vol. XI, Issue 10

Managing Mid-Semester Stress in Eight Easy Steps

by Whitney Nobles, Resource Counselor

As the midterm approaches, many students begin to wonder how they will manage all of the work and stress that comes with the rigors of law school. After all, the end of the semester is just around the corner and day-planners and free time seem to be filling up faster than you can think. What is a student to do? Don’t worry. There are eight easy steps to get you on the fast track to stress free productivity in no time.

Create a schedule
Try to create a schedule for doing homework for each class based on when you have your classes. The importance of using a calendar, prioritizing your activities, and writing things down cannot be overemphasized. Only you can plan your schedule, because only you know when you are the busiest. This sounds like a simple concept, but many people never get this first step down.

Find a quiet place to study
Find a place that you can use throughout the semester where you will be uninterrupted. Home is not always the best place to study. Try using the law library or another library on campus where you may not know people. Don’t tell your friends about your secret study place, this will only invite socialization.

Give yourself enough time to complete assignments
Particularly in the beginning of law school, assignments almost always take longer than you think. Allocate as much time as you reasonably can to complete each assignment. Leaving things for the last minute will inevitably create undue stress.

Schedule separate time for writing projects
Schedule regular times when you will work on writing projects for any writing classes you have. That way you won't be struggling to complete writing projects at the last minute, which require intensive preparation and work.

Set aside time for friends and family
Set aside time to spend with your family, friends and time for yourself to exercise. It's very easy to neglect yourself and your loved ones while you're in law school. Avoid this by setting a workable schedule for yourself from the outset of law school.

Start outlining now
Start outlining by mid-semester. Find out your exam schedule and use it to plan when you will outline and which classes you will start with. How nice will it be at the end of the semester to have one less thing to do? You will also have an idea of the areas which might need more study time in advance.

Seek help when you need it
Join a study group, seek help from academic support or your professors, or seek help with stress whenever you need it. Law school is a different learning experience than any other, and there is no shame in admitting you need help with the substantive material or with time management. There are many materials available to assist with test anxiety, and stress management before it becomes overwhelming.

Think of things that will come up during exam time in advance
You will not be able to predict all problems in advance, however taking care of a few small things might save you some valuable time. Try shopping for holiday gifts before exam time or plan your vacation time (Thanksgiving trips) into your study schedule.

Although these suggestions might seem obvious, many people make the mistake of waiting too late to implement good habits. If you have any questions about personalizing your study schedule or learning new time management techniques, please stop by my office in Student Affairs. My office hours are Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and my email address is Noblesw@law.ufl.edu. I would love to hear from you. Don’t wait to start your stress management routine until it is too late.

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