My friend Mary has a lot of things above her desk — to-do lists, encouraging mantras, long-term goals and her full star chart. But the thing that struck me most was a piece of paper with “I have done” written across the top.
Underneath it are sticky notes of different things she’s accomplished, from completing training to be a companion with the Orange County Rape Crisis Center to volunteering as a band manager for Girls Rock N.C.
If you’re a student, you don’t need me to tell you what this time of year is like. You know what it feels like to see the entire world pile up and loom above you during exams. This time of year is excellent at making that mental cyclone of self-doubt spin out — you never got anything done all semester. You barely paid attention; you never took good notes. Did you even think about going to office hours? And how many times were you that group project member?
First of all, maybe 15 percent of that is actually true. Most of it is just your brain being gross and trying to sabotage you. Second, even if it is, that’s not the whole picture of what your semester was. And fixating on mistakes, imagined or real, doesn’t help give you the momentum you need to get through finals.
But taking some time to think through your semester and all of the things you’ve accomplished — that does the trick.
Try it right now. Think of all the projects you thought you could never ever finish that are now turned in. And the tough conversations you thought were impossible that you ended up having. Remember the events that were grueling to plan, and the way you felt when they were finally finished. You’ve done so much already.
In fact, don’t just think about the things you’ve accomplished, write them down and put them somewhere where you’ll see them regularly. That could be on your laptop, over your desk or inside the study carrel that you only leave for medical emergencies. This list is just for you, so don’t worry about making it look like a resume.
If getting out of bed on a particularly difficult day was especially trying, write down “Got out of bed on that Tuesday in October.” Taking time to help a friend with their lab report, calling your grandparents twice a month: These are all accomplishments worth celebrating.
If writing things down isn’t your style, try pairing up with a friend and texting each other every day with something you’ve done this semester that you feel proud of.
