As the fall semester begins its long-awaited transition into the beloved RRR Week, tons of thoughts may be racing through your head. After all, it felt like just last week we were purchasing our green books and scantrons in preparation for midterms season. And now, without any warning, your much-dreaded finals have been spotted creeping around the corner.
Understandably so, this time of the year elicits a lot of stress for the average UC Berkeley student, attempting to cram in last-minute study sessions, time with college friends and everything in-between. Your end-of-the-semester phase, however, doesn’t have to be an ultimate disaster. To help you out, we at the Clog have compiled a comprehensive list of things you should definitely do before you leave for winter break to keep you cool, calm and collected.
Clean up your room
A disorganized living space will only prolong your stress. Think about how nice it would be to come home to a room where your bed is made, desk space is decluttered and the trash is taken out. The best part is that you don’t have to sit around daydreaming about it like it’s some impossible utopia. If that little quip is not enough to convince you, do you really want to leave your dorm room looking like a pigsty all throughout winter break? Didn’t think so.
Actually study for your finals
This may sound like a no-brainer, but RRR Week makes it so easy to procrastinate since you’re no longer held accountable for weekly assignments and section attendance. Remember, however, that according to UC Berkeley, RRR stands for “Reading, Review and Recitation Week,” not “relax, relax and relax,” so do try to squeeze in some time purely devoted to studying. Plus, you’ll be patting yourself on the back when you realize that all the time that could’ve been spent unconsciously scrolling through your Instagram feed or watching Snapchat stories was put to good use.
Check your mail
Collect all those packages that have been waiting for you from the Amazon pickup locker as well as your personal mailbox. You never know when you might have impulsively ordered something online only to forget about it a couple days later. If you’re lucky, a box of tasty study snacks (hopefully not stale or expired) might be waiting for you.
Get rid of unworn clothing
Sell all the clothes you never wore on UC Berkeley’s Free & For Sale Facebook group. In your closet, there’s guaranteed to be a risqué crop top or a vivacious pair of pants that still have the tag on them. We’ve all had a purchase like that more times than we’d like to admit, and the next step is to cleanse your dresser of all its unnecessary items — or, just pack them in your suitcase to take back home.
Attend review sessions
For some, this past week may have been the last time you ever see your professors and GSIs again. It can be a relieving thought for some but frightful for others who don’t know where to turn for external help with studying for finals. Thankfully, at UC Berkeley, review sessions are prolific during this time. Check with your professor to see if there’s a review session for your class. If not, the Student Learning Center is another alternative to seek out. Located in the Cesar E. Chavez Student Center, the SLC typically provides its own resources and ways of help for popular courses on campus.
Return borrowed books
This may be one of the most forgotten and overlooked tasks on a UC Berkeley student’s agenda during this time of the year. But, can you really be blamed for the thought of returning back home to your loving family, childhood friends and comforting environment relentlessly popping in your mind? For those who forget to return their textbooks, the answer comes as a pesky overdue fee, unsympathetic to your homesickness.
End your semester at UC Berkeley on the right note rather than opting to go out with an explosive, havoc-wreaking bang. We all understand how tough navigating your journey at college can be, so its ending shouldn’t have to be any tougher on yourself.
