Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

I truly believe that there is no better source for good advice than someone who has already made all of the wrong decisions. I’ve been through more than enough academic overtime to share what worked for me, what not to do and how to go about surviving school.

The first word of advice — it is normal to get overwhelmed, feeling like chores, homework and everything else slowly pile up. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it is that even the smallest steps towards a goal can make a world of difference. Here are five tips, a few of which have psychological and scientific evidence backing them, that will help one get out of an academic slump.

The Five-Minute Rule — The five-minute rule is a lifesaver for many people who struggle with ADHD and other psychological roadblocks when getting simple tasks done. It is a cognitive behavioral therapy technique that only requires one to spend five minutes doing the task they are dreading. After that five minutes is done, if the task is really that horrible, they are free to stop. However, after five minutes pass, most people find themselves still performing the task and continuing until completion. Take it from someone who used this rule to finish dishes and laundry last night — it works. 

My favorite: The To-Do List — The To-Do List is a marvelous invention that decreases anxiety, provides structure and keeps the writer accountable for their day-to-day life. It’s versatile; anything from a “boring Sunday morning” schedule to a “seven due assignment” schedule will benefit from the To-Do list. My version of the list accounts for every hour and timeframe of events, including what time I wake up and every little detail of my morning routine. I’ve found that it eases my anxiety, as someone who constantly forgets things, because I don’t leave any room to forget any small part of my schedule. Write it all down.

My invention: Academic Rehab — When the homework keeps piling up, the assignments and due dates overlap and the professors continue adding readings and lectures to the canvas home page, it’s time for Academic Rehab. This is especially helpful if the professor doesn’t grade assignments immediately and it would be useful to know one’s hypothetical academic standing. Categorize all classes — write down the grade percentage currently posted and the projected grade with all of one’s hypothesized scores, as well as the top grade one can score in the class if they turn in all of their assignments for the rest of the quarter. Write down all of the assignments for the next week, month or quarter according to one’s preference and any lectures, textbook chapters or other content the professor posted into Canvas. Once everything is out in the open, plan to get a few things done daily from each class, chronologically organized so that assignments are finished before the due date. By the end of the week, one will have made considerable progress on assignments and classes. Celebrate by watching TV or getting a sweet treat. 

Find a reliable friend to study with — Not a best friend. Not a partner. Find someone willing to be held accountable and hold others accountable. They could be a classmate or bookworm acquaintance — or that one introverted friend who is just happy to sit in silence. Whoever is going to actually do homework is one’s best bet to get things done. Find a nice coffee shop and prepare with sweatpants and a water bottle, fuel up with protein and carbs, purchase a 24-ounce latte and be ready to spend five or six hours grueling over homework. 

Have some grace for oneself — It is so easy in college to have that feeling of drowning and not being able to do anything but doom scroll on TikTok. Be kind to oneself, and focus on taking small steps and gaining momentum along the way. Whatever happens, time will pass and in five years that human anatomy class will be obsolete. 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu