With March already here, the few days of sunshine (followed by rain, of course) have shown us that more spring weather is around the corner.

Walking from my anthropology class to the nearby library last week, I quickly realized that I subconsciously took the long way, enjoying the sunshine and warmth before having to study. If this is now, what will happen when it gets even warmer? It’s expected that the hardest part of Spring Quarter will be focusing on schoolwork, and not the wonderful day surrounding us. In an attempt to help both myself and others with this problem, I’ve made a list of a few tips. Stick to them, and the next 10 weeks will be a tad bit easier to handle.

1. Don’t avoid going outside. Avoiding the sunshine completely will only make it harder to stay away. Then when you do go outside, it’ll be for many more hours than it should. Instead, take a study break every 45 minutes and walk outside. This will also help with focusing again when you’re back in the library studying.

2. Use your time wisely during the week. If you can motivate yourself to study and finish all homework or projects during the week, your weekends will be free. This way, you can spend time outside all weekend guilt-free. So just make it through the week, and keep in mind that you will be able to enjoy being outside every weekend.      

3. Don’t sit in the Oval. I’ll admit, the Oval is the perfect hot-spot for tanning, sports or even sleeping. But if you plan to get any studying done, it is not the place to go. The people will distract you, and your books will end up closed.    

4. Plan ahead. You’ve already been given a preview of the weather to come. Now that you know what to expect, remind yourself as the weeks come that even though the weather is nice, this is still another quarter. The grades still count, and your grade point average will still be affected. This controlled mindset will make it easier to focus on your schoolwork.