[00:00:01] Speaker A: At the University of Alabama, we're committed to helping you be the best version of yourself in all aspects of your well being. The Alabama model of health and well being offers a holistic approach to wellness, connecting you with resources that support every aspect of your life, providing a roadmap to thriving in college and beyond. Learn
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[00:00:23] Speaker B: And well Being and WVUAFM the CAPSO.
[00:00:29] Speaker C: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling and no relationship is created between the show hosts or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
[00:01:11] Speaker A: What's up, guys?
[00:01:12] Speaker D: We're back.
[00:01:12] Speaker A: This is the Bama Balance. Real stories about college, men's mental health. And as we're reporting this week, we're looking into dead week and just got back from Thanksgiving. I hope both of you all had a great Thanksgiving.
Had some good food and good times with family and reminiscing and.
[00:01:29] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, always.
[00:01:31] Speaker D: No, it was good. It was nice. Good weather. My mom. My mom turned 90.
Yeah. So we were able to celebrate her 90th birthday and, you know, brothers, sisters, our family and their families. We were down there with her and we surprised mom with some of her friends who live there for lunch. And so it was a good time. Nice. Nice beach time, too. Very awesome. Very relaxing and good food.
[00:01:55] Speaker A: What part of Florida?
[00:01:56] Speaker D: Well, South Carolina.
[00:01:57] Speaker A: South Carolina.
[00:01:59] Speaker B: Hilton Head.
[00:01:59] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:02:00] Speaker A: That's awesome.
[00:02:00] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:02:00] Speaker A: Beautiful place.
[00:02:01] Speaker D: It was great. It was a great, good time.
[00:02:04] Speaker A: How's Dothan?
[00:02:06] Speaker B: Great.
It always is quiet. Dothan loved it.
I always enjoy taking walks.
We live near. I think I've told this before. We live near some farms.
[00:02:19] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:02:20] Speaker B: So just kind of taking some strolls and some good weather.
It's always good. Good for the soul.
[00:02:24] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:02:25] Speaker B: How was Phoenix city?
[00:02:27] Speaker A: Same old, same old.
[00:02:28] Speaker D: Good to go back.
[00:02:30] Speaker A: Good to go back and see everybody and just be able to unwind and most importantly, sleep in the. Sleep in the best bed, you know, it always feels good. That first night you're back for sure. You get to lay back down and you're like, dang, I could get. I get back used to this.
[00:02:48] Speaker D: Yeah. You know, I thought about giving you a wave because when I head down To South Carolina. I don't go through atlant and I come down through.
[00:02:57] Speaker A: Through Phenix City, hit Columbus City.
[00:02:59] Speaker D: Columbus, head down to Macon, right that way.
And I always make a stop at Lane Orchards. Lane Orchards. I don't know if you guys know that. You know Lane Orchards.
[00:03:12] Speaker B: You know where it is.
[00:03:12] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:03:13] Speaker D: I love that place. So Lane Orchards is one of the largest produce of peaches and other fruit produce in the Southeast.
[00:03:23] Speaker A: Have you ever tried their peach ice cream?
[00:03:24] Speaker D: Have I ever tried their peach ice cream? I stopped for peach ice cream on top of their cobbler. Awesome. Crooks. This is such a great place.
It's called Lane Orchards and it's right there in.
It's right outside of Macon. What the heck is the name of that town?
You know what I'm talking about?
[00:03:44] Speaker A: And I get football.
[00:03:46] Speaker D: Georgia. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's a great place. How do you know Lane Orchards?
[00:03:50] Speaker A: Just traveling.
[00:03:51] Speaker B: Really.
[00:03:52] Speaker A: And I mean, it's so close to us.
[00:03:54] Speaker D: Oh, sure.
[00:03:55] Speaker A: You know.
[00:03:55] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:03:56] Speaker A: And. And when we were. When I was younger, my uncle lived in Columbia, South Carolina and did work up there. So when we take our family beach trips, we'd go out to the Charleston area and that through there. And we'd always stop at.
[00:04:10] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:04:11] Speaker A: At that place on the way there.
And then I guess.
I mean, there's been multiple times where we've been traveling somewhere.
[00:04:19] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:04:20] Speaker A: And we've been able to stop and. And little me loved peach ice cream.
[00:04:25] Speaker D: I still do. So that is awesome. So that is my halfway point when I head down to South Carolina or when I head back up if I decide to take that way. That's my halfway point. And I will stop and have lunch there right at their cafe. I'll have a burger or whatever they have, but I'm going to save room for their peach cobbler with some peach ice cream.
[00:04:46] Speaker A: Fort Valley.
[00:04:47] Speaker D: Fort Valley. That's it. That's it. Shout out to Fort Valley and Lane Orchards.
[00:04:52] Speaker A: Georgia does it well with the peach ice cream.
[00:04:54] Speaker D: They do it so well. They also have a really good peach bread and peach jam, which makes a great French toast on Christmas.
Oh, my goodness. Well, that's stock up for Christmas. Yeah, that's a whole other episode right there. Our famous Christmas foods.
[00:05:12] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. Well, I'm excited about this episode and. And we'll get into it a little more, but with all of us coming up and, you know, the student life gets very busy in these last couple and a lot of things feel forced on you and. And you know, you've gotta. You've gotta succeed in all this. So I'm excited to. I'm excited to talk to it and see what y' all think about it, but this is the Bama Balance. We'll be back with segment.
Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
[00:05:55] Speaker C: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling, and no relationship is created between the show host or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
[00:06:37] Speaker D: Welcome, everybody, to our first segment here at the Bama Balance. And you know, this, of course, is study week, or more fondly known as Dead Week. And I don't know if it actually lives up to its name, you know, Brooks your senior this year, Edward, your junior. And I don't know what. What's your take on what this week is like and what it's been?
[00:06:58] Speaker A: I think Edward's pretty passionate, is very passionate about this one.
[00:07:01] Speaker B: Well, I. All I'll say is Dead week is never dead. At least it hasn't been for me. It's supposed to be a time where we're able to study and just kind of have review. I feel like I have always, at least in one or two classes every semester, have had some professor spring something on us that was new during Dead Week, which I thought was not the point.
[00:07:19] Speaker D: Which shouldn't be the case, right. Yeah, that shouldn't be the case.
[00:07:23] Speaker B: But that's what it's felt like. And maybe. Maybe it was not necessarily against the rules or whatever. Maybe I'm interpreting something differently for what was given. But still, Dead Week is always filled with, you know, with a name like Dead Week, you would think that there's, you know, it's more. There's already, like, a lot of negative.
[00:07:43] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:07:44] Speaker B: Feeling to it. It's. Honestly, it's Dread week is what it is.
[00:07:46] Speaker D: Dread Week.
[00:07:47] Speaker B: Because, I mean, and it's the week before finals. You know, you're just kind of like, this is it. You know, it's hard to kind of pull up a grade during dead weeks.
[00:07:57] Speaker D: I agree.
[00:07:58] Speaker A: And I mean, Dead Week for me is a little.
I'm trying to think back. So when I would take Orgo and all that, you know, those were just. I mean, and I'm in tough semesters now. Where I'll have to study for a few tests. But those were tests, like, okay. Like, actually those cumulative tests, like, all right, we gotta get on this. So I used my time pretty well, and I did feel like, you know, it was still busy. We still had the labs in between that took four hours out of your day. And, you know, you have the occasional Christmas date party that you're going to.
But, I mean, it's definitely. There's a lot of stress around it, I feel like, because you're. You're put in this waiting block where you're thinking about, you know, all that could go right or could go wrong.
[00:08:44] Speaker D: Oh, I see.
[00:08:45] Speaker A: The next week. Yeah. And not having anything to do that week to take your mind off of it, really.
[00:08:50] Speaker B: Kind of.
[00:08:51] Speaker A: It's interesting. It's a. It's interesting week, for sure.
[00:08:54] Speaker D: So is that how that stress is different during that week or study week than it is any other time of the week? Like, even midterm or any time this semester? Even midterms?
[00:09:04] Speaker A: I think. I think so. Just partially more because it's catered strictly to finals. Like, okay, you're about to enter finals. This is it. Like, no more turning in stuff. All you've got left are these tests. Whereas when you're in midterms, you know, you've got so much going on all around that you can kind of take your mind off a few things.
And especially because you go home over Thanksgiving and, you know, we're back. Well, we've got one more week plus finals, then you're back for Christmas.
[00:09:33] Speaker D: Right.
[00:09:33] Speaker A: So, like, I mean, when you get back, those two weeks mean a lot, and that's kind of hard for it, not to sit heavy on somebody.
[00:09:42] Speaker D: So there's more. Is it fair to say there's. I feel like there's more stress during that week, study week, than other.
[00:09:48] Speaker B: I've always felt that. I've always felt that there's a little bit more.
It's just. I mean, like I said, there's so much. And like, Brooks mentioned as well, like, there's nothing going on other than just that, really. I mean, there's the occasional party.
[00:10:02] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:10:02] Speaker B: Or the occasional event. But I mean, largely. I mean, it's like, all right, we got, you know, exams next week and that's it. And class just feels like there's. It's just something in the air about it, especially also, I think another part of it is when you come home from Thanksgiving, or you. Sorry, you come back from Thanksgiving and you've just been home and you have Basically done nothing. It's hard to get back into that. It's hard to get the engine going again.
[00:10:31] Speaker D: Yeah, true.
[00:10:34] Speaker B: I've always felt that. Which I'll still take Thanksgiving break. It's just unfortunate on where it lands, but I still think it is.
There's that, that, that danger of losing your, your momentum a little bit.
[00:10:50] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:10:52] Speaker B: So it's important to try to keep that through.
[00:10:54] Speaker D: Right.
Kind of keep it going.
[00:10:58] Speaker B: Keep it going.
[00:10:59] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:10:59] Speaker B: Through Thanksgiving.
[00:11:00] Speaker D: And you are the type of person needs like a couple days after, like a.
To get revved up again, get back into the swing of things.
[00:11:08] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I would say. I mean, it takes me a month to get going with raging like regular.
[00:11:15] Speaker A: School, so probably that's everybody though, you know.
[00:11:18] Speaker D: Well, here, here's some news.
[00:11:20] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:11:21] Speaker D: I don't think you have a month.
[00:11:22] Speaker B: No, right. No.
I guess some semesters are better than others.
[00:11:27] Speaker D: What, what has felt. Is there anything that feels different to you, Edward, this year, being a junior during this dead week, study week, than it did when you were sophomore. Freshman.
[00:11:39] Speaker B: Weirdly, I've been less anxious and stressed out about school, which is, I don't think necessarily a purely good thing.
[00:11:46] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:11:50] Speaker B: For whatever reason, I think maybe it's because I'm putting less value, more or less of myself value on my grades.
[00:11:56] Speaker D: But.
[00:11:58] Speaker B: I mean, the, the, like, there's, there's ups and downs to the performance.
[00:12:06] Speaker D: Right.
[00:12:06] Speaker B: Academically when you're putting less like stress into it.
[00:12:10] Speaker D: So what did you mean when you said you're putting less of yourself value on your grades?
[00:12:14] Speaker B: Like, I think oftentimes, especially like earlier in my college experience, like, it was easier for me to put a lot of my, you know, like, fulfillment and self worth on, like, doing well academically. And this semester I have not felt that really at all. Which has been great in so many ways. But in a lot of ways it is. It's been probably a subpar performance academically. So whatever, wherever that balance is of like, understanding I'm more than my grades, but at the same time, I'm still here for a reason.
[00:12:44] Speaker D: That's right.
[00:12:44] Speaker B: You know, maybe I'm, you know, I'm confident I'll find it in the spring.
[00:12:48] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:12:48] Speaker B: I just think the pendulum swung a little bit too much.
[00:12:51] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:12:52] Speaker B: It's just life, you know.
[00:12:53] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:12:54] Speaker A: Side of things, I do think that balance is very important. And if I've learned one thing in college, like, especially when I was taking, taking those harder science classes, dude, I would sit in there and freaking grind, you know, trying to make a 100 on every test. But like in reality, it's okay if you don't make a 100 on every single test, like as long as you're putting some, putting some good effort into it. And because that's true, you yourself do mean more than grades, especially when people are looking to hire you. You know, I mean, they're going to look at your personality and, you know, your relationships with people and that too how you can work with others. Like so I mean, if you're just centralizing yourself on making a 100 and not having any fun or meeting anybody, like that may hurt you. Honestly. Yeah, I think there's different ways to look at it.
[00:13:46] Speaker D: There was someone who asked me at dinner a couple weeks ago, when I hire folks, do I look at, you know, the grades that they made in college. I said, you know, honestly, I want to make sure that they graduated college or they said that they graduated college.
And I don't really look at their grades.
You know, I think. And even GPA sometimes doesn't give the whole story about how they did in college. That's the other thing too. So.
Yes, to, to place your entire self worth or to feel like you're kind of out of balance by, by being your self worth, being validated, your grades can be pretty stressful.
Perks. How does this week feel for you? How different is it now as a senior compared to last couple years?
[00:14:32] Speaker A: I think I want freshman year back.
[00:14:33] Speaker D: Do you really?
[00:14:35] Speaker A: No, I mean, honestly, I've kind of gotten to the point now where I'm accepting it, you know, I've got to move on at some point. Yeah, it's been. This university has been awesome and it kind of is sad. More of a. I wouldn't say I'm more. I am probably a little more anxious, you know, just because I mean if I'm now at the point where if I don't pass class, I'm not going to graduate on time, so.
[00:14:58] Speaker D: Right.
[00:14:59] Speaker A: But that's not going to be the. I'm not going to let myself do that, of course.
But it is a little, it's a little different. More of the.
I think we sit here and you know, we're looking at our last home game on Saturday for football and we're all like, dang, like here we go. Our last Thanksgiving dinner at the fraternity house and then last Christmas at home in college. So the dead week is, is going to be close to similar. The same of me putting a big emphasis on grades and being a little stressed out. That just comes with it.
But it's definitely a little different knowing that, you know, this is one of my last ones.
[00:15:36] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:15:37] Speaker C: How.
[00:15:37] Speaker D: How hard is it to, like, have both feet in the. The senior year for you? How much of it is, you know, one foot still here.
Right. As a senior, but the other foot somewhere down the road, down the future.
[00:15:54] Speaker A: It's interesting, and I think it goes different for each person.
I'm in a little bit different of a circumstance with the decision I made last year, so I'm still basically full feet here, but I think next semester will be very different.
You're having a plan for your future. Where do you want to live when you grow up? These are all questions that are definitely flowing in all of our heads then. I'm not sure if we're ready to answer that yet, you know.
[00:16:24] Speaker D: Sure.
[00:16:26] Speaker A: But, I mean, that's what we're here for. We came here to learn, and at some point, you do have to graduate and hit the real world. So. Right, here we go.
[00:16:35] Speaker D: Let's get on it. Yep. Let's get on it. Yeah. This, this study week, Dead Week does bring on a lot of its own unique stresses and.
And challenges, and it's interesting to see how it's been different or how it's changed for the both of you, how some things have changed, how some things have really kind of stayed the same in terms of the stresses. But maybe what's changed has been your own perspectives on how you view this dead week, this study week. And maybe in the next segment, we can also look into ways that you've coped with it and kind of suggestions that you might have for others who were going through it the first time or who were going through it just like the two of you are. So stick around with us. We'll be back in our next segment. This is the Bama Balance.
[00:17:42] Speaker A: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
[00:17:44] Speaker C: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling and no relationship is created between the show host or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
[00:18:26] Speaker B: Hey, everybody, welcome back to the Bama Balance podcast. And as we kind of continue our conversation about Dead Week, I kind of want to get into how, you know, we as students cope or kind of push through, persevere, one might say, through Dead Week. I know it's. And I guess even Final Aesthetics didn't too, really. I mean, it's kind of both.
But it is certainly something that has changed since I've been here. But I think, like, the core of what I've always tried to do has been the same. I think I've always been one that's had the mindset of, like, one thing at a time is the best way to deal with anything.
Because so often, like, my mind scrambled everywhere. But if I can just kind of get that one thing done at a time, which I think is probably just most people. Some people can just do everything at once that are better, like, moving around quickly.
[00:19:28] Speaker D: Right.
[00:19:28] Speaker B: I am not. I'm like a kind of need to set aside a block to get something done.
[00:19:32] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:19:33] Speaker B: So I think that was one, like, one way that I've, like, continued to grow throughout that and grow that, like, mindset throughout all dead weeks since I've been in some. Since I've been in school.
But again, I think, like, as I've changed from freshman year to now. I talked about it a little bit last time, but just kind of, like, the way I view it of, like, you know, what's. What's most important, what's really important? It's not to say grades aren't important. They are. But, you know, where am I. You know, am I killing, like.
Like, overworking myself just to, you know, get, like, two points better that really won't, you know, have that much effect?
[00:20:12] Speaker D: Right.
[00:20:13] Speaker B: I think just, like, perspective, like, with a perspective change about where I'm at and one of the biggest things since I've been a freshman, to know.
[00:20:20] Speaker D: So that's been. You think that's been the biggest shift for you, Edward, that perspective in terms of grades and self worth and the need to have it be a little bit of both?
[00:20:31] Speaker B: Yeah, 100%. And again, like I said, I think there's. There's certainly times where, you know, you don't want to get too far into the nothing matters. Then, you know, you fail completely. And I don't want to fail.
[00:20:42] Speaker D: Yeah, there's. There's that chance.
[00:20:44] Speaker B: But having that. That mindset of, like, all right, like, you can only do your best.
And if I think there's. There's comfort and peace. And if you did try your very best, even if you come up short or not as. Do not do as good as you wanted.
[00:20:59] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:20:59] Speaker B: You can't really ask for more because it's like, I did all I could.
[00:21:02] Speaker D: So let me ask you this. How do you know when you've done your best and although you may fall short of what you expect, how do you know that the effort that you put in as your best?
[00:21:15] Speaker B: I mean, I think it's so. It's just a gut feeling thing.
[00:21:17] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:21:19] Speaker B: At least for me. And it's such an individual way.
I think many people probably have different ways of like policing themselves on that. But I think for me, it's. I can, you know, I have enough of a gut to kind of self reflect and be like, all right, did I right.
Did I really try my best here?
And I kind of know. I kind of know.
[00:21:41] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:21:42] Speaker B: When I have or when I haven't. But like I said, I think it could be for different people is probably different ways.
[00:21:48] Speaker D: It always called you to be honest with yourself, really turn the mirror on yourself and, you know, be honest with yourself. And gosh. And say, gosh, did I really do the best I could do here?
[00:21:57] Speaker B: I agree.
[00:21:57] Speaker D: You know, how were few Brooks, senior year, fall semester?
How are you not only coping with it, but is there anything differently that you're doing now than maybe what you did as a freshman or sophomore?
[00:22:12] Speaker A: Junior, I'd say now, honestly, especially with me living in the house, you know, living with all my best friends, I'll probably take this finals week a little bit different, especially since a bunch of our accounting guys, I think there's 11 that are leaving next semester for their internship.
[00:22:30] Speaker B: Yeah.
So.
[00:22:32] Speaker A: And I've always been big on kind of like you said, one thing at a time.
Which changes the way I look at dead week, honestly, because, I mean, I can study for one test all of dead week and then until I take it the next week. But, like, I kind of do better when I sit down and go like three or four hours at a time, like back to. Back to back days before a test.
[00:22:55] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:22:56] Speaker A: It's like starting on a Monday, studying for me for a test this next Wednesday is not super beneficial.
So I'll definitely, you know, be relaxed. And I think that's a big part of it too. You've got to relax, you've got to get good sleep, you've got to eat well, focus on yourself. Because you know, these, these next few days where it gets crazy and you're studying all the time and you're stressed and you've got all these tests, you want to be well rested and have a good head on your shoulders.
But this dead week for us will just kind of be like, you know, hey, we'll Hang out a lot.
[00:23:34] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:23:34] Speaker A: And then going into finals week, it'll amp up and we'll all kind of. And I study with people better than I do alone, really.
[00:23:42] Speaker D: Okay, so you like studying, like in larger groups or smaller groups?
[00:23:45] Speaker A: Smaller groups, but not. Not just myself.
And I've got a bunch of buddies in. In a lot of my classes that we'll have finals in. So we'll all study together. And, you know, taking breaks from. When you study, I'm big on yet again, watching the movies.
[00:24:00] Speaker D: Right.
[00:24:01] Speaker A: Just getting your head off of it for a little bit at least is good.
[00:24:04] Speaker D: Yeah. So what have you learned about yourself, how you manage stress during this period of time that you didn't know as a freshman?
[00:24:14] Speaker A: Definitely that I do get stressed.
[00:24:16] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:24:17] Speaker A: And I was one of those in high school. I never really stressed about school.
I mean, I kind of got it to the point where I could do well enough, you know, studying the day, advanced. Well, when I got here, that totally shifted. Hey, you ain't got it like that. You're going to have to work for this a little bit.
So that's one thing I've definitely picked up on, is that, you know, sometimes good grades do take work, and you're gonna have to be willing to do that if you want to have a good, you know, chance at a job or a good future.
So the stress is unavoidable. There are multiple deal ways to deal with that stress that I've found.
Spending time with friends, getting a break. I always tend to call my parents during study breaks, and I try to call my parents grandparents like once a week or my parents every day. If I didn't, my mom would kill me. But so, you know, take them to talk to during study breaks and kind of just get your. I like to get my mind off of it in any way possible for at least a good amount of time.
And then back to my old trusty, watching movies.
[00:25:29] Speaker D: No. What. So what I love about, again, not only what you said now, but throughout some similar discussions, is that you already have an established routine in terms of not only what you do, but how you take care of yourself.
Being with friends, calling family movies, playing hoops a bit, something like that. But you've got that all set. And I think that one of the things that's important is if students haven't yet developed a routine to manage their stress, they would be wise to. To do so. How about for you, Edward? Is that in terms of a routine that you have?
[00:26:09] Speaker B: Yeah, I think. I mean, for me, yeah.
[00:26:12] Speaker D: Like playing guitar I think is one of the things you've mentioned.
[00:26:15] Speaker B: I've done that before. I, like.
I've always, like. And I think I mentioned this before as well. But if I have the opportunity to just, like, build a fire.
[00:26:23] Speaker D: That's right. Build a fire.
[00:26:24] Speaker B: That's right. That's one thing that I'll do.
[00:26:25] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:26:25] Speaker B: Even just small one of my. Like a fire pit in the backyard.
That's easy.
And it kind of helps me relax.
[00:26:33] Speaker D: Yeah. I think one of those important. I think it's important to have those routines.
[00:26:37] Speaker B: Yeah. And I mean, because without them, you don't know what's going to help you.
[00:26:43] Speaker D: Right, right.
[00:26:44] Speaker B: And knowing. Having that knowledge of what's helpful. Having that knowledge of what I need. And there are moments where I think, you know, I'm studying, but I feel anxious and I'm like, I need to, you know, burn off some energy.
[00:26:58] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:26:59] Speaker B: So I'll go, you know, maybe play some basketball, workout, go on a walk or something. There are times where I'm studying and I'm, like, just trudging along and I'm like, all right, I need a. I need to rest or I need to go get some caffeine or something.
I think it's just like knowing what your body's trying to tell you when you're in the midst of that time of a lot of. You know what it probably is for a lot of people? Weird sleep schedule. Because you're probably staying up late and trying to add to your study time and probably not eating in the most congruent.
I mean, there's probably meals coming at wildly different times. Just like, very little repetition or very little routine.
[00:27:46] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:27:46] Speaker B: In that. In that week. So just like, knowing of what you need in the moment and kind of, like I said, taking not only, like, your classes and your school one thing at a time, but, like, your issues one thing at a time as well. I think it's important.
[00:27:56] Speaker D: It's important. So for freshmen out there who haven't yet found a routine, what would you say to them in terms of. Here are some helpful ways or helpful tips that I've. That I've learned along the way to help develop a routine for myself.
[00:28:10] Speaker A: Definitely sit down and look at what you love doing.
I found that a lot.
You know, whether that's playing any type of sport.
I mean, if you can go outside and throw the football for 20 minutes, you know, shoot the basketball, like, that's great. And that takes your mind off of. Completely off of something like studying, you know, and get some good sleep. That Is a must.
[00:28:37] Speaker B: When.
[00:28:37] Speaker A: When your body is overworked enough and your mind's overworked enough that you start confusing yourself on what you're doing is immediately when I know, all right, that's it. Like, and. And sometimes that may be the night before the test, and I may try to battle with myself being like, oh, well, you haven't studied enough. Keep going. Yeah, but if you do, you're just running things wild in your mind. You're not getting as good of sleep as you would have. You're better off just stopping there saying, all right, look, I've prepared, done all I can.
[00:29:08] Speaker D: Let's go. Let's go.
[00:29:09] Speaker A: Knock it out. And then before the test, I like to take time off of. Not study. I don't study right up till the test.
[00:29:18] Speaker D: Oh, okay.
[00:29:21] Speaker A: So, you know, stop 30, 45 minutes before, go on a longer walk than you normally would do that class, listen to music, call your whoever, talk to them for a little bit and just, I mean, get your mind off of.
[00:29:36] Speaker B: It a little bit.
[00:29:37] Speaker D: Yeah, so that's good. How about for you?
[00:29:40] Speaker B: I mean, yeah, I think it's a lot of. Probably a lot of trial and error. And it's also, I think I would say, you know, if there's. If you know, people who have gone through those things before, just ask them what they did.
And then with the knowledge, you know, of trying to, like, figure out. Like Brooks said, figure out what you enjoy seeing what others have done.
And, like, once you try those things, like, once, that's how you'll find what you need to do.
[00:30:03] Speaker D: Right.
[00:30:03] Speaker B: And what your best routine is, probably.
[00:30:04] Speaker D: Remembering that you're not the only one in this. And.
[00:30:07] Speaker A: Yeah. Everybody else.
[00:30:08] Speaker B: Everybody else.
[00:30:08] Speaker A: Everybody on the campus is right there with you.
[00:30:10] Speaker D: That's exactly right. 4,007, 47, 999 other students are.
[00:30:17] Speaker A: The chances are somebody has it harder than you.
[00:30:19] Speaker D: That's right.
Yeah, that's true.
[00:30:22] Speaker A: I feel bad for that. That last person, though, that has it the hardest, like, heart goes out to you.
[00:30:26] Speaker D: It's hard.
[00:30:27] Speaker A: Normally, somebody has it worse than you. So just due to bad scheduling and stuff like that.
[00:30:32] Speaker D: That's right. That's right.
[00:30:34] Speaker B: Well, this has been a great segment.
We're gonna kind of come to an end here. And then we'll be right back with our outro. You've been listening to the Bamboo.
[00:31:00] Speaker A: Wvuafm, Tuscaloosa.
[00:31:03] Speaker C: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling. And no relationship is created between the show hosts or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
[00:31:45] Speaker A: What's up, guys? We're back for our outro segment. And I think this episode so far has been great. And there's a lot of stuff that goes around dead week and finals week, especially for those freshmen that haven't yet experienced it.
I mean, I guess my advice would be just slow down, take it in.
It's not as crazy as you think it is.
And that's one thing I've realized over my years, is that it feels very overwhelming to the point that it maybe, maybe feels impossible.
But everybody else that has ever graduated from the school has gone through the same thing we are.
So it's definitely very doable. And just keep your head up and find what works for best for you as far as managing the stress and stuff like that.
[00:32:35] Speaker D: Yeah, that everybody's going through it in their own way. Yeah, Right. And that it's going to be a measure of stress and.
And anxiety for a great number of students, but important to find what works for you in some way. The word dead week, even study week, Dead week is a bit of a misnomer because it doesn't feel like from all we've said today, that there's anything dead about it. There's always stuff going on. It's getting prepared for finals week. You're always. You're dealing with something, you know, whether or not it's the expected, you know, last bit of work or maybe the unexpected things, you're always dealing with something. So the week is. Is. Is not at all dead.
But I do think it's a good time to.
To think about how you, you know, how you ground yourself. How do you stay grounded? Right. How do you maintain your sense of balance, hence the bama balance. How do you maintain your sense of balance? And if you haven't yet, then find those things and develop those ways that help you manage stress and help you cope. You know, no greater time to lean on friends than right now and be in the company of good friends for that support, where you can find support in them and you can support your group of friends as well. I mean, I think that's a big thing.
[00:34:09] Speaker B: I also think it's important to kind of reflect a little bit during dead week. While it doesn't feel dead, sometimes I think there is a lot of. I mean, the atmosphere around it is that of, like we said, focusing on just one thing, which is your exams the next week, which, I mean, there is time.
And I think a lot of that time, not a lot, but some of that time should be spent.
I think it's good to spend it in reflection.
Think about what you've been through, things you've done over the last semester, and really kind of. I think it's a good way to appreciate. And like we talked about last episode, remember, be thankful about what's happened and thinking about ways you might have grown. Thinking about ways you might have been made aware of, areas you should grow or could grow or want to grow.
But, yeah, I think time and reflection, I think is another because, again, cause me so fast, like, I'm already a junior and I still feel like a freshman sometimes.
So I think having those moments where you can kind of sit still and be Just kind of stay in it. Yeah.
[00:35:17] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:35:17] Speaker B: I think is good because it, you know, very rarely does it. Does college ever feel like it's slow. But the times where it does, even if it's the stressful time, can be good.
[00:35:29] Speaker A: Yeah, I think take it in.
[00:35:31] Speaker D: That's right. That's right. I'm so glad you said that again. Finding those. Those.
That moment of pause for yourself where you can express gratitude, Experience gratitude. Yeah. Edward has been like our Zen master here the last couple episodes. I mean, really, Edward, is this. Is this always sort of been the case? You've been a real Zen master, man.
[00:35:54] Speaker B: I mean, I've been on a journey. You have been on a journey this year?
[00:35:56] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:35:57] Speaker B: Learned a lot about. About my mind and how to deal with different feelings and thoughts and emotions and anxieties and, you know. Yeah.
Like I said, journey. Been through a lot, learned a lot, so.
[00:36:12] Speaker D: Good. Good. Well, gosh, we might have to dig into that at some point, you know, towards the end of this year or maybe or beginning of the spring semester.
[00:36:22] Speaker A: Yeah, no doubt.
And this has been awesome. And I just want to tell everybody, good luck on finals. You've got this.
You'll kick their butt.
And just stay calm through it all. Weather, the storm. This is the Bama balance. I'm Brooks Barbri.
[00:36:40] Speaker B: I'm Edward Felton.
[00:36:41] Speaker D: And I'm Dr. Tony Perez. Good luck, everybody out there.
[00:36:44] Speaker A: And I think there's one person that wants to say something.
[00:36:47] Speaker B: Roll tide, baby.
[00:36:48] Speaker D: Here we go. Let's do it. Let's go. Good old time.
[00:36:50] Speaker B: Roll into finals.
[00:36:51] Speaker A: Week.
Wvuafm, Tuscaloosa.
[00:37:11] Speaker C: This show was not intended as a substitute for professional counseling. Further, the views, opinions and concl expressed by the show hosts or their guests are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Alabama, its officers or trustees. Any views, opinions or conclusions shared on the show do not create a relationship between the host or any guest and any listener, and such a relationship should never be inferred. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, please contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
