One step, one breath and one blooming flower — this is what we miss out on when we closet ourselves in the library, nose buried deep in our books. While I understand finals are just around the corner (and I definitely have a few whopping exams coming up), there are few things our bodies are craving more than a huge dose of vitamin D.
Vitamin D, in this case, is not given through the sun’s rays or found in pill form, it’s truly vitamin “distraction.”
Columnist and playwright Marilyn vos Savant said, “Multitasking arises out of distraction itself,” and man, was she right. Well, of course she was right — the woman held the Guinness World Record for “Highest IQ” for almost four years. But her advice still rings true. When finals week comes knocking on our door, distraction is the key to success.
When I find myself in a study rut, multitasking is exactly what I turn to. While studying geology, I take a break every few paragraphs and go read something that makes me feel awesomely smart. A “New York Times” piece on environmental and ecological difficulties of tropical climates helped me crank out a three-page piece just a few days ago.
If I’m working on a highly-technical research paper, looking at ridiculous photos of baby otters keeps me from losing my mind in all of the source-citing and block quote-making.
This week, it behooves you to remember how fun it is to dance to the Spice Girls and the glorious tunes of N’Sync. Or even think back to that song about being all “fly like a G6,” and give your head some time to bob to the synth-beats.
Close your book. No, seriously — close your book and let your mind drift away into something else. Better yet, go outside and take a deep breath. High-five someone on the street, then return to the textbooks.
For another good dose of distraction, try spending three minutes crazy-dancing to your favorite song for every half-hour you spend studying verb conjugations for your final. Rock it out, seriously. You might even score extra points if you dance to a song that is written in the language you’re studying.
While finals week can make you ditch real meals in favor of eating out of a vending machine, skip sleeping, foster a caffeine addiction and just go bonkers with the flashcards, you’ll get through it.
One week, a few more finals and only one way out of here — you’re almost done. Just don’t think about it.
Chloe Rambo can be reached at [email protected]