Energy boosts for paper season
March 25, 2026 3:02 PM
With the last few months of school dwindling away quickly, many students, especially those about to graduate, are experiencing something known as senioritis, a decrease in motivation towards studies.
While senior happens to be the root of this word, the properties of this horrible condition are not limited to fourth year students.
Third and second years are being hit just as hard. There are also several confirmed cases in first year students.
Symptoms include a decrease in motivation and energy, general boredom and/or lethargy, and fuelling the illness by saying things like “summer needs to get here faster” or “this paper is due soon, but I just don’t care.”
With the end of the school year in sight, one way to fight off symptoms is to boost energy levels.
Provided below is a list of things that can be done to help maintain acceptable levels of alertness and general happiness to pull anyone through this last month of academic struggle.
Breakfast
Start the day off right with a breakfast high in fiber.
A study done at Cardiff University proved that students who consume a high-fibre breakfast showed a ten per cent reduction in fatigue, as well as lower incidence of depression, and overall better cognitive skills.
Try switching to whole wheat pancakes, starting the day with some oatmeal, or making a breakfast smoothie.
H2O
Woodson Merrel, a medical doctor in New York City claims that 50 per cent of people complaining about fatigue are actually just dehydrated.
Drinking every hour or two is what should be aimed for.
A study on athletes recently showed that 92 per cent of participants felt fatigued after 15 hours of limiting fluids and water-rich foods.
Get up
Feelings of drowsiness can be easily fixed by having a brisk walk daily – only 70 minutes per week (ten minutes per day).
Engaging in this small and simple task can boost your energy levels by around 18 per cent more than those who are sedentary.
PB&B
Peanut butter and banana sandwiches may seem quite juvenile, but there’s a reason besides it being quick to prepare that parents provide their kids with this simple snack for lunch time.
Bananas are loaded with potassium which is an essential mineral for converting sugar into energy.
Peanut butter provides magnesium, and you should aim to get about 320 mg of magnesium a day. Other good sources of potassium/magnesium are fruits, veggies, beans and nuts.
Music
A recent study has shown that listening to music can actually increase productivity by ten per cent when compared to those who work sans auditory stimulation.
Plants
It was found that keeping a vase of vibrant flowers around your work station, and leaving other green plants elsewhere in the vicinity evokes more creative ideas when working.
In a separate study, 90 males and females were subjected to a typing test, either next to plants, or on bare desks.
It was found that people seem to experience less stress from the tasks when a plant was near them.
Hopefully the recent demise of the snow will amp up the green in everyone’s lives, and increase the overall energy of StFX students.
