There is this notion in some minority cultures that the longer one spends time in front of a computer, it can be assumed that this person is just wasting time and avoiding family and obligations. We are then asked, “How long are you gonna be sitting on that thing?” But who said that student life is all paradise and sunshine? Semester after semester, we have to identify our duties and somehow pack them in an already busy schedule. We wear several hats a day: We are students, workers, parents, teachers, daughters and sons.

We put on the appropriate hat for every situation. I believe in human’s adaptability to change, and believe it is why we can take on multiple of our identities within the same hour if need be. Some of us are juggling family obligations, work and school commitments. Some are even taking care of children and studying at the same time. Good for you. But sometimes our worries tune out others, and dealing with one’s obligations and stress drains all the energy we have by the end of the day.

Finals week is quickly approaching, and we need to grind through it in order to get those grades we want. I know it is easier said than done, considering how life can get in the way. I can always tell I am stressed when I get a tension headache from overthinking about what is due for classes and how long each item will take me to finish. On top of that, thinking about finals makes my headache even worse because of the fear of failure, which then prevents me from studying effectively. It is a vicious cycle. My thoughts are the catalyst of my anxiety and stress.

For me, the cure for these consuming thoughts is positive thinking. Knowing the why for everything we do is crucial. There has to be a meaning behind our work and, in our case as students, we want to graduate having matured mentally and consumed rich knowledge with good grades to match. So, let us start by addressing the big elephant in the room. Stress can physically manifest itself, through headaches, chest pain, sleeping problems, etc. And sometimes we need help managing that stress. It is okay to feel anxious and to worry; they are human emotions. We feel things that we sometimes cannot just turn off. How we respond to it, however, is what makes us resilient.

The first step I recommend you take is to think positively, as I mentioned above. It takes only a few seconds to think to yourself, “I got this. I am going to do the quicker and easier assignments first,” and then delve right into the work. We owe it to ourselves to do what we promised to do. Remember that if it does not get done, it often leads to disappointment.

We also owe ourselves breaks in between. The Pomodoro Technique, a highly recommended time-management method, suggests working for 25 minutes, and then taking a break for five minutes. Following four of these cycles, you take a longer break, from 15-30 minutes. During those breaks, I recommend doing a little stretching, or even taking a moment of silence to collect your thoughts and meditate to unite your body and mind. A break to get something sweet from the fridge, warm green tea, a cup of coffee, to run up or down the stairs to annoy your siblings, or joke around with your roommates.

There are endless things that can be done during that five minute break. If you are still feeling stressed, however, some additional tips and tricks include: describing three things you see at the moment to ground you, standing (or sitting) up straight to decrease stress hormones, and clenching and unclenching your right fist to activate the left side of your brain. If these do not work for you, invent a stress relief strategy and a break time activity that will rejuvenate you. The University of Minnesota also provides de-stress appointments that are held via Zoom for students. I highly recommend it.

It is okay to feel anxious. I want to repeat that because it is easy to think that there is something wrong with us if we struggle while our peers succeed. It is a human thing to worry. But do not just let it sit there: Do something about it. You are going to ace your finals because you are in school to accomplish your goals and plans. The result of what you do now will be very rewarding. Being able to rest after a very long and productive day will be so fulfilling. So let us do the work now and rest later.

It was last spring break when we — students and nonessential workers at the University of Minnesota — were all sent home because of COVID-19. Since then, COVID-19 has been hanging over our heads like a dark cloud refusing to dissipate. The panic it caused and the lives it took were things we could not prepare for. It has been over a year now since we learned to live and find our ways through a pandemic. I see this spring break as an anniversary to give thanks for our survival, pray for or think about those who left us and stand together with those still suffering through it.

I know I sound optimistic, but I also know that at some point, we all got tired of COVID-19. I’m sure we’ve all thought of giving up the fight and just living our lives, not thinking much about our safety or anyone else’s; it gets tiring. But it gets even more tiring when we start to think that we have it hardest of all. When we personalize our struggles to the point of obsession — resulting from the restrictions the pandemic brought about — it’s easy to get sidetracked and forget everyone else’s pain. It took me an entire year to even go out for dinner with my friends and family. We all seem to reek of the desperation to get back to normal and go about our lives as they were before.

We’ve been consumed by the pandemic, the elections in November and overwhelmed with school, work, etc. For many, there’s been little time for ourselves and our dear ones. But spring break is here, giving us an opportunity to be grateful. Grateful to be alive. Grateful to have the consciousness to navigate through the inconsistencies of life. Grateful for still having friends and family alive. And above all, grateful to be healthy and capable of going about our lives.

We’ve lost so many lives around the world to this pandemic — with more than half a million in the U.S. alone. It’s easy to sympathize when a stranger loses their life to COVID-19, but when tragedy hits home, it’s a different story. There are those among us who lost near and dear ones but are keeping their heads up, determined to stay afloat. We should take time to think about or pray for those who have passed away and hope for the recovery of those in care.

Spring is the rebirth of nature, with its green beauty and the fresh smell of wet grass after rain. The trees come back to life and give birth to their leaf offspring. The pandemic is like winter, but we are a tree in spring. We grow, prosper and become even more resilient and beautiful. I urge everyone to reconnect with those we forgot about because of our own battles and worries. Our families, friends and even neighbors. Checking in on each other revives the dormant love we once had. Greeting each other cultivates love in what was perhaps a worried heart in pain because of COVID-19.

When you go home this week — or even if you decide to not — make the time to call home and check in on everyone. Call the friends you haven’t heard from in a while. Say “hi” to your neighbors. Write a thank-you note to those who stood by you in both good and bad. Ease your worries and do yoga while listening to your thoughts. Filter them out if they are not of any help and replace them with positive self-affirmations and love.

Some of us are thriving with all the blessings one can have; some of us have worries we live with, yet wonder if we have the strength to pull through. We are with those who are suffering, even if only through goodwill and good intention. You might be surprised to know what the person next to you is going through, so reach out to those you know and check in on them. This spring break is for reconnecting with the people in our lives, reconnecting with ourselves and reclaiming our good nature. Off we go.