Survive and Thrive
Survive and Thrive
We all love March because, you guessed it, spring break! But before spring break, we have to get through midterms. To have the best vacation possible, you need to do well on your exams before leaving for your trip. Keep reading to learn how to maintain a healthy mind and body leading up to midterms and the key essentials to pack for your spring break trip. If you can survive midterms, you can thrive during spring break.
Healthy Mind
Whether you’re lounging on the beach or relaxing in your bed, it’s always nice to have some mental clarity about your midterms prior to leaving for your trip.
Take a Break
If studying is starting to feel like it is getting the best of you, take a quick study break in the Reboot Center. Located in room 320 on the third floor of the Union, it has plenty of ”Zen” opportunities to help you relax. For more information about the services provided at the Reboot Center, visit its website. https://ucs.okstate.edu/reboot/
Take some 'me' time.
To ensure you do well on midterms, you need to get the right amount of sleep every night, especially on nights before test day. A good amount of sleep is about 7-8 hours, so don’t try to pull an all-nighter. Also, your brain can only take around four hours of studying at a time, so every four hours, take a one hour break. Don’t try to cram all the information during a 10-hour study session. If you do, your brain may not actually explode, but it might seem like it will!
Go Outside
Though the weather may not always be the best during this time of the year, it is always good to go outside and get some fresh air. This can be a study break or a study session. Across campus, there are plenty of options for you to sit down and take in the spring air.
Seeing sunlight for the first time after studying inside for days.
Healthy Body
Along with having a healthy mind, it is also important to have a healthy body. However, having a healthy body this time of year isn’t always just for spring break. Eating right and working out is proven to strengthen your ability to focus for those mid-semester exams. Here are some tips to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Choose Orange
Junk food? Never heard of it. The Choose Orange program makes it easier for you to have healthy options around campus. It was also made to encourage students and faculty to eat more vegetables and whole grains, as well as cut down on the intake of saturated fats and added sugars. Simply go to your favorite on-campus eatery, and look for the orange icon like the one displayed below. Choose Orange items include lean meats and other proteins, vegetables with limited salt and sauces, fruits and 100% fruit juices, low-fat dairy products and whole grains.
Choose Orange Logo
Ways to Stay Active
A trip or two to the Colvin is a great way to start your workout journey, but there are also many great classes in the Colvin that can be beneficial for your body. These can range from relaxing in a yoga class to breaking it down in a hip hop class. No matter what you do, just make sure you have fun with it! Click here for times and locations of classes in the Colvin.
Working out with a friend is always better.
A wonderful alternative to working out in the Colvin is to take a quick jog around Boomer Lake. This is a great way to get outside and enjoy some fresh air. The trail is about 3 miles. Try it out sometime!
Running away from midterms.
Spring Break Travel Tips
Whether you have decided to travel by plane or car, it is always useful to prepare accordingly by packing the right essentials for your trip. Follow these key travel trips to ensure you bring everything you need for the perfect getaway!
Saying goodbye to your furry friend is always the worst.
What to Pack in Your Carry-On
Water is a necessity when it comes to traveling. To stay hydrated you need the perfect water bottle. (Here’s a good one.)
To make sure you block out all that unwanted noise during plane rides (or your friends on the 10th hour of the drive), you need headphones. Luckily, OrangeTech, located inside the University Store, has the best accessories to make your departure, in the sky or on land, a breeze. Check out their headphones here.
Check out these portable speakers to bring with you to either rock out on the beach or any other destination. They are perfect for any trip you’re planning to take.
I don’t know about you, but the first thing I pack for a trip are snacks. Around campus, there are plenty of dining options that offer a ton of delicious snack items to munch on. This is also always a great way to spend those extra meal plan dollars to ensure you don’t have any left over. Curious as to what your meal plan balance might be? You can always check it here.
Studying is ALWAYS better with snacks.
Twenty-something, located in the Kerr-Drummond Mezzanine, is the perfect spot for last-minute grocery shopping. There is a wide variety of food options here for any kind of snack you are craving. Open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Another great place to stop by is Union Express located in the Student Union. It has the perfect snacks and drinks to bring with you. Union Express is open Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 10a.m.-4p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. -10 p.m.
Probably the most important part of traveling is making sure you’re comfortable in what you are wearing. To make sure you are staying as cozy as possible, stop by the University Store to bring a little bit of OSU with you while also staying comfy. There are plenty of sweatshirts and jackets available for those cold plane rides. Chem them out here.
If you can’t sleep on your way to your destination, you usually have to find a way to entertain yourself. Reading a good book is a fantastic way to make travel time fly by. There are plenty of excellent books for all types of readers on the first floor of the University Store by OrangeTech.
Don't let this happen to you. Get some rest.
The last essential item to pack for your getaway is your sunglasses. Personally, I am always looking for a new pair, because I seem to be losing mine all the time. Fortunately, the University Store has so many of options that will have people turning their heads and asking where you bought them.
Bon Voyage
We wish you the best of luck while studying for those midterms, and safe travels getting to your spring break destinations! We can’t wait for you to get back to campus!
How we feel about all the students leaving campus.