Helpful Tid-bits to Gathering Your Emotional and Mental Entrails From All About the Earth’s Surface and Prepare (Or At Least Brace Yourself) For the Tasks at Hand 101 (As taught by Dr. Lisa Salasin)

1. Clean and organize.

It always helps to have your surroundings [somewhat] orderly, so that your thought process can at least try to follow suit. Unless, of course, you thrive in chaos. Then by all means, relieve your stress by throwing all your belongs about your apartment like a mad person. Come to think of it, that’s not a bad idea…

2. College students! Get rid of those aweful florecent lights! Turn some lamps on!

3. Tune to the Balmorhea/Sigur Ros/The Album Leaf Pandora station.

For me at least, music with words is distracting when I’m trying to study. So, unless you speak Icelandic, you should be good to go with these stations. Classical music is always good for concentration, too. (Or may I suggest TSS?)

4. Take a shower and get in sweat pants, comfortable shoes or slippers, and favorite t-shirt!

May I suggest a few spectacularly comfy shirts?

5. Do some stimulating stretches.

Here’s a helpful site.

6. Get a big glass of water, a cup of joe or tea, and a light snack.

My favorites are pretzel nuggets. I try to stay away from sugary drinks and greasy snacks when I’m studying. Sometimes fatty foods make me feel bloated and in need of a bath, and you’re looking to feel fresh and prepared when you’ve got a job to do. But everyone is different. Do what makes you most comfy.

7. Avoid working around large social gatherings.

Living in a dorm, I realize this is way easier said than done. But sometimes you just have to find a polite way to tell your friends to s.t.f.u. At the same time, allow for periodic distractions. After an hour or two of straight concentration, five minutes of random chit chat might just help you keep your sanity.

8. DO WORK!

Bottom line, regardless of most surrounding circumstances, you just gotta get your shit done. For all the reasons you say your can’t get something accomplished, the most prominent will always be your self perceived inability to overcome the obstacles.