Falling Asleep at Your Desk? Here’s 5 Tips to Help Keep You Awake in Class!

Author: Julianna Iacona

1.     Chew gum.

Chewing gum keeps the blood flowing and takes your mind off of the tiredness. For an added benefit, if you chew the same flavor gum that you were chewing while studying during your test, you’re more likely to be able to remember what you studied…fresh breath and an A!

2.    Shower before class.

Morning classes can be the hardest to get up for, especially in the Winter when it’s freezing out. Trade your warm bed for a warm shower, it’s the pick-me-up that leaves you feeling refreshed, alert, and ready to take on your day! Plus, you can totally multitask. Um hello…washing your face, brushing your teeth, and showering all in one go? Yes please!

     3.  Eat a snack and drink plenty of H2O.

Be sure to bring a water bottle and a quick snack (like an apple or a protein bar) to class. If you’re having a super busy day, you could be feeling groggy from dehydration, drinking coffee on an empty stomach, or just needing a little snack to give you some energy and decrease your fatigue.

     4.  Take a stroll to the bathroom.

Walk off the sleepiness! This will get your blood circulating, and gives you a chance to take a small stretch break while you’re in the hallway.

    5. Actively take notes and interact with your professor.

Ask questions! Listen to the lecture and ask questions when things become unclear. This forces you to focus more on what the professor is saying, and less on how badly you want to take a nap.

Dealing with Stress at School

Author: Gabriella Sears

In such a fast-paced environment, it is so easy to become stressed about work load, grades, social life, and any other inconveniences life decides to throw at you! Below are some sure-fire ways to diminish stress and keep going when the going gets tough!

1.    Talk it Out! 

One of the best ways to cope with stress is by talking to a close friend or family. By discussing your problems, it is easier to acknowledge and deal with them. Your friends and family can also offer their own advice on how they deal with stress. In addition, talking about things going on at home or in their lives can make you forget about your own for a moment!

(UMass also offers 3 free therapy sessions!)

2.    Hit the Gym!

Although you may have what seems like a million things to do, hitting the gym is a great way to relieve stress and clear your head. It’s also great to gather some friends and take a class together at the Rec Center! In addition to relieving stress, you’ll also be keeping your body active and healthy.

3.    Make a To-Do List

It may seem cliché but making to-do lists and writing down tasks in the order you need to do them will help you cross things off your list efficiently. Start with small things and work your way up to bigger things based on importance. Things can be as simple as doing laundry, and as difficult as studying for exam. Decide what is most important for you to get done, and you’ll be crossing off tasks in no time!

4.    Take a Moment for Yourself

With so much going on, it is important to maintain good mental health. You cannot complete the things you need to do if you are sick or in a bad state of mind. To fix this, take a small amount of time to do something for yourself whether it’s going for a walk, watching an episode of your favorite TV show, listening to some music, or taking a nice nap.

5.    Take a Deep Breath

It’s easy to get caught up in all of the things you have to do, but you have to remind yourself that you will get all of it done. Think about all of the college students in the same boat as you and remind yourself that you are not alone! Take a moment out of your day to look at the bigger picture, and realize that you will complete everything, although it may take some time.

#GIRLBOSS Review

Author: Cat Simonds

Calling all “#GIRLBOSS”es !!!

This past summer I picked up the book #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso expecting to mindlessly browse it while laying on the beach. After the first chapter I was hooked, Amoruso’s writing was honest, relevant, and extremely inspiring to me. Lessons I learned from reading will stick with me throughout my life and career in business.

Now what exactly is a #GIRLBOSS? Amoruso answers this question telling the story of how her life changed completely after establishing a rudimentary E-Bay shop selling vintage clothes. This small business run by one eventually turned into a multimillion dollar company with over four hundred employees. Sophia’s rise to success while influential also comes with many life lessons in which she teaches over the course of the novel. Although some of the decisions she made in her life may have been questionable, Sophia explains to readers that sometimes it is okay to break the rules and that there is no one perfect way to build a successful business or company from the ground up. By addressing and including the stories of other effective business women Amoruso displays a variety of lessons and a plethora of advice for her readers apart from her own experiences. On top of that each chapter begins with an uplifting image depicting a “girl-boss” at work. These images all scream girl power which is something so pertinent and necessary in the business world currently dominated by men.

Sophia Amoruso quickly became an inspiration to me following reading her book and learning her story. #GIRLBOSS gives hope to those who may be at their lowest and push us women to do what we want when we want in order to get ahead in the world. I strongly recommend that every girl read this book and explore all that #GIRLBOSS has to offer. From girlboss.com to Girlboss the Netflix original series, the rise of Nasty Gal presents so much more than cute clothes and fashion advice. We all are “#GIRLBOSS”es and should rock that title with immense pride every single day.