Mental health issues like anxiety or depression can affect student’s schoolwork. Lauren Wood/The State News

Between Mardi Gras break and spring break, there is a short period of time students like to call midterm week. This week is one of the most trying times of the semester.

It’s when things start getting real. Up to this point, I have usually been assigned to write a few chapter summaries or to come up with a newsletter layout. Then, it’s midterm week and all of my professors decide to unleash every form of torture they can. 

That’s a little dramatic, but it feels that way.

Then, to top it all off, midterm grades are released just one week before I am supposed to embark, stress-free, on my spring break adventure. Every single year, without fail, my midterm grades kick me in the butt.

This is when I begin to worry. My head begins to cloud with questions. And I can’t even vent to my friends about my grades because, lo and behold, their midterms were just  as terrible.

“How did this happen?”

“I have only missed six classes.”

“Should I email my professor and ask for extra credit assignments?”

I like to call the stress most students experience after the release of their midterm grades “the midterm blues.”

It’s hard to describe the midterm blues. During this time, you honestly just feel tired, depleted and like an utter failure. How do you combat this?  How do you feel normal again?

Well, first and foremost, take a long deep breath and then, maybe, a nice long bubble bath.  Give yourself some time to relax and remember what it feels like to be stress-free.

Then, go through your planner again. Try to remember what assignments you bailed on or forgot about. Then, look back and remember all of the assignments you excelled in. This will show you that, yes, sometimes you fail, but you can make up for it if you try.

After you have assessed where you are in the semester and where you would like to be, find something to do that will make you feel good. Whether this is visiting the furry friends at Southern Pines twice a week or re-watching your favorite episodes of “Grey’s Anatomy,” you need to make time to take your mind off school at least a few times a week, if not once a day.

Lastly, the one thing that really helps me combat the midterm blues is to think back to previous semesters. From there, I remember that I have had this feeling of defeat come over me before. I have had and have overcome the midterm blues. And I will overcome them once more.

Midterms are meant to put you in your place. Their purpose is to snap you back into reality before you lose all of your brain cells on spring break. You’re supposed to worry, so don’t feel bad if the midterm blues have got you feeling down.

It will all be quite alright, until the next semester rolls around and you do it all over again.