BWW Blog: Just Dance

"When you're feeling frightened," just breathe.

I have been feeling really stressed and under pressure recently. We are entering our final term of the year. We just finished week one and wow, there is already so much to do. I feel very overwhelmed at the moment, so I thought why not help you guys out with a few tips as to what keeps me sane during all the craziness.

First and foremost, having a good playlist. The perfect playlist always helps motivation and stress levels. Some of the songs that are stress relievers include:

• The season 2 cast's version of Under Pressure.
• Aaron Tveit's performance of the Finale of Moulin Rouge.
• Nick Cordero's performance of Break it Down Again.
• And just to give you a giggle, the iconic performance of You Matter to Me by Nick Cordero, Drew Gehling and Zach Braff.

Once you have your playlist and once you are ready to start sorting through the madness that is university during this corona era. Look through all the work you need to do and write it out. This way, you won't forget about something and you will be able to manage your time.

I personally, like to stick to a timetable. I make sure that I complete certain subjects by a certain day. Following a schedule, allow for maximum productivity and full focus on one specific thing. Having your subjects in order will allow you to maintain focus on that task.

After you have planned your life with a schedule, write out a to do list of everything that is due soon all the way down to what will be due at a later date. Having a to do list of things that specify when what is due, really helps me to prioritize my work. Prioritizing is really important in order to stay on top of your work.

The most important thing to do and to know when it comes to university life in a corona world is to take some personal time, make sure you have time for you. Whether it is sitting outside soaking in some sun rays and getting some fresh air or maybe you have a movie you want to watch or an episode of that one show. Perhaps you want to spend your you time scrolling through TikTok. But after six months of online university, I have found that the best thing to do in order to stay sane, get the creative juices following and just relax is to JUST DANCE.

As soon as I feel like I am wearing out, I switch from my work and motivation playlist to my dance and relaxation playlist. This playlist includes:

• The Abduction from the Great Comet (Is this song not the best song to just dance a long to?)
• Welcome to Moulin Rouge!
• Breathe from A Killer Party the Musical.

These songs all help me focus on a specific thing during my break. The Abduction helps me get my blood pumping and introduces some exercise into the day. Welcome to Moulin Rouge is a fun and full of energy song that just reminds me of what I have to offer to the world and Breathe from a Killer Party, well, Drew Gehling reminds me to breathe and relax; this song helps me recentre my being and pull myself towards myself - which is needed often.

For those starting to deal with online learning at university, it is a rollercoaster and it isn't always easy but if you have allocated times to work, dance, eat and have a mental breakdown - you will be able to crush this year!