Tips from second years: 11 ways to take care of your health

To the Class of 2019:

As we’re sure you’ve learned by now, there simply isn’t enough time in the day to go to every TA session, corporate briefing, Career Work Group meeting, mock interview, happy hour, club meeting, and party while also making it to the gym, eating well, and sleeping at night. How does one make it through the Core?

Here are 11 tips from the Class of 2018 on how we did it.

“Color code calendar entries to avoid the appearance of a white wash of commitments and to more easily ID priorities.” –Jeff Hughes

“Get a planner. I thought this was funny because I hadn’t had one since college, but it really helps me stay organized with all of the different types of deliverables across classes, clubs, my social life, etc.” –Chelsea Turner

“In addition to my Outlook calendar, I have a physical planner which has been great. This is a good place to put dress code, recruiting commitments, and other random stuff that you need to remember in b-school.” –Alex Dick-Godfrey

“I created a note in my phone where I would place all of my assignments as they came to me. At the end of each day, I would rank them in order of due date.” –Will Riegel

“You can find lots of time in the day that would have gone to waste if you’re ready to work on stuff in small chunks.” –Crosby Fish

“I found it helpful to limit myself to an hour per assignment (excluding team meetings) at one time. Working continuously on the same subject made me tired faster.” –Will Reigel

“If you’re in a productivity rut, make your bed, clean your apartment, write an e-mail, whatever it takes. Accomplishing a few small tasks can help build momentum for the larger ones.” –Crosby Fish

“Cornell fitness classes are great because they provide a concrete time that prevents you from the habit of negotiating on your workout time. I set up recurring appointments on my Outlook with classes so that the time is blocked off from people scheduling meetings and for my own accountability.” –Lucie Coates

“Getting 30 minutes of exercise 3x/week can help stem the tide of the effects of pizza, Johnson on Tap, and late night Thai food.” –Nik DeMaria

“I felt that scheduling my exercise and making sure I was getting 2–3 workout classes (including yoga) per week during recruiting helped me stay sane.” –Hilary Powers

“Force yourself to speak with non-Johnson friends/family often, about non-Johnson stuff!” –Mandi Fried

“Prioritize time for the people that make you happy (girlfriend, husband, kids, dogs, etc.) and never be too busy for your friends.” –Greg Allis

“Don’t feel the need to attend every social event. Your day is inherently extremely social. There is such a thing as too much fun at Rulloff’s.” –Nick DeMaria

“Aim for no less than 6, but ideally 8 hours of sleep per night to optimize learning and productivity.”

“Having a strict evening work cut-off time and bedtime kept me on track last year and made me more productive during the hours I was awake and working.” -Amanda Kamarck

“Eat lunch outside of Sage or off campus.” -Mandi Fried

“I prioritize getting a good meal (fruits and veggies) as often as possible. Long hours in Sage, cold weather, sleep deprivation, and stress all take a toll on your immune system, and no one has time to be sick.” –Greg Allis

“If you’re religious, don’t stop being religious because you’re ‘too busy.’” –Nik DeMaria

“Take a breather at Sage Chapel when you feel overwhelmed (religious or not, it’s beautiful and quiet).” –Mandi Fried

“Two resources that I used last year were the meditation sessions in Sage and the walk-in Let’s Talk sessions from Cornell Health. They were very helpful for slowing down the pace that we are immersed in every day and for understanding that, even though we are all in the same program, each student has a different path and experience. That helped me a lot to reduce the level of stress that we undergo.” -Anonymous

“Take the time to figure out what works for you.”

“Run your own race. Studying and productivity tactics that work for other people might not work for you.” –Crosby Fish

“Rely on your classmates as study partners, emotional resources, and for help. No one knows exactly what you’re going through better than they do.” -Alex Dick Godfrey

If you have any concerns about your or a classmate’s physical or mental health, you can reach out to Betsy Dick (ecdick@cornell.edu), Ingrid Jensen (imj8@cornell.edu) or call the Cornell Health Center 24/7 at (607) 255-5155.

If you or someone you know is having immediate mental health concerns, a 24/7 confidential Crisis Line is available at (607) 272-1616.

If you would like further information about available resources on time or stress management, please email Johnson Student Council’s Health and Wellness Chair, Amanda Kamarck (ask288@cornell.edu).