Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

In a perfect world, our classes would always align with our preferred times and schedules. As many students know, however, schedules rarely end up as such. The “awkward class gap,” usually an hour or two, is a common experience in which there’s just enough time between classes for it to drag on, but for most, it’s just barely too short to dive into something more productive. There are options, though, that don’t require too much focus for those that aren’t sure how to use the in-betweens.

Read over notes: Sometimes full on studying doesn’t feel like an option during this time, especially for those that might study better at home and live off campus. Just taking a quick glance at notes, however, will help the information sink in, leaving less studying to do later.

Update your planner: The syllabus usually has a calendar, but it’s not uncommon for unforeseen circumstances to change the schedule up a bit. Things can change often in personal and professional lives as well, so taking a few extra minutes to make sure everything is still set straight can help with feeling more prepared.

Browse classes for next term: An option for pretty much everyone except seniors in their last term, making a rough drafts of schedules to come may not be very pressing at all times, but it may come in handy when the next registration date rolls around. Spring Term registration starts on Feb. 25.

Take a power nap: It’s not uncommon to hear at least one person say “I’m so tired” at least once a day, or hear stories of a term paper that took most of the night. Power naps may not be a solution, but they can certainly temper the problem. Many students live on or near campus, and even some that don’t are willing to crash for a few minutes in their car or reserve some time in the Rest and Relaxation room on in the Student Health and Counseling Center.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton