Dead week is fast approaching, and we all know what that means: It’s time to plan out how we’ll be procrastinating before we actually start studying for our dreaded finals. Whether it’s binging a new series on Netflix, exploring the rest of the Bay Area or simply sleeping to avoid our responsibilities, dead week offers so many activity options besides studying that it’s almost overwhelming. We at the Clog, however, are well-versed in the art of procrastination and have compiled our very own go-to list of activities to partake in rather than studying during dead week (because who really studies during dead week anyway?). Here are our favorites:
Take a quick day trip to San Francisco.
How often do you get the opportunity for a totally free day with nothing to do here at UC Berkeley (if you count blowing off all of those review sessions you should probably go to)? Almost never. So, if you haven’t yet seized the chance to explore the beauty and culture that “The City truly embodies,” dead week is here for you. Check out our favorite spots here.
Decorate your room for the holidays.
Sure, you’re probably not going to be in your dorm room or off-campus apartment much longer, but you might as well make it festive to bring some cheer to your life once you actually start studying for your finals. Line your room with string lights, burn a holiday-scented candle and call it a day (or don’t).
Catch up on your television shows (or start a new one).
With Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, the options are almost literally endless when it comes to television binging. Dead week gives you plenty of time to watch a season or two (or a whole series) from start to finish, typically with little stress involved. Pop a bag of popcorn, crawl in your bed and take a look at our favorite binge-able titles.
Pack your suitcase for winter break.
Packing is typically a pain in the butt, but when you’re so close to leaving Berkeley and going home, or possibly going on some exotic vacation you’ve been looking forward to since last year, filling up your suitcase with everything you own is pure joy. So, in order to get your spirits up before they inevitably go back down once you realize how screwed you are for your finals, fill up your suitcase as much as you can (but be sure to save some comfy sweats for when the real studying begins).
Test out some new recipes.
Before you hardly have time to heat up a bowl of Cup Noodles, treat yourself to a few well-crafted meals or desserts. Try out some new recipes you’ve been eyeing, or, if you’ve never touched a pan and olive oil before, take up a new hobby and learn something worthwhile before you have to relearn the entire curriculum of your course load from this semester. We promise you, it’ll be fun!
Go holiday shopping.
Everyone deserves a little retail therapy every once in a while, especially in times of finals-induced stress. Grab a bus to Emeryville’s Bay Street or simply browse online for the perfect gift for family, friends and especially for yourself. We promise you’ll forget about the studying you haven’t done yet for a little while. Just don’t check your bank account afterward.
Go for a walk, jog or run.
Nothing beats getting the heart pumping and blood flowing before being cooped up in Main Stacks for a whopping 72 hours straight (cabin fever is real, people). Trust us, you’ll feel better and clear your mind, all while avoiding beginning your dreaded studying. And, as a bonus, you’ll put off locking yourself inside for far too long. Who doesn’t love that?
Call your loved ones.
There’s no greater distractor than talking on the phone with a loved one for hours on end. Time almost always flies by quickly (unless the conversation is lacking), and it’s a great way to put your mind somewhere else for a while. You may annoy your parents or friends from home for a little too long, but just remind them that you love them and all will be fine — until you have to start studying, of course.
Sleep.
Sleep is precious and important, and dead week may very well be your only chance to bring your sleep deficit back to at least -200 hours — because we all know it’s way worse than that. But you get what you can get, and luckily, dead week’s full of optional commitments that are, quite frankly, far less important than your sleep. So get to it, kids!
Read the Clog.
You know you love us. xoxo, the Clog.
Happy procrastinating from your friends at the Clog!
