The birds are chirping, there’s weird foamy stuff in the river and every student is panicking about finals. It must be spring.

Spring can be a hopeful time, but it could also be exhausting. If you’re having trouble seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, I’m here to help.

Finals

I’m going to let you in on a little secret about finals — they don’t matter as much as it seems.

Yes, it’s a good idea to work hard on them. Yes, they’re important. But they’re not worth dying for.

Study, or don’t study. It doesn’t make you a bad person if you get a rough grade in a class.

Bury your head in a textbook, if you feel like you need to. But, when the words start sounding like a foreign language and your head feels like it’s full of jelly beans, take a break.

Breaks come in all shapes and sizes.

Maybe a break is a wholesome walk outside with a friend. Maybe it’s reading a book or watching a movie. Maybe it’s 17 tequila shots on Water Street.

Do what you’ve got to do, then get back to the grind when you feel ready.

More often than not, finals aren’t as hard as they seem.

If they are, who cares? The class will be a breeze when you retake it.

Don’t forget to eat, sleep and breathe.

Moving

Many students are moving soon. Whether you’re moving out of the dorms or a house, it can be stressful. I’m here to help.

First, it might be time to take an honest look at how much stuff you have. 

If that beanbag chair hasn’t been touched by anything other than a pile of clothes in months, maybe you don’t need it.

Consider donating stuff in good condition and throwing away gross stuff. 

If you think you can make a buck on Facebook Marketplace, give it a try, but chances are, that futon you spilled Truly and barbecue sauce on isn’t going to turn a profit.

The best piece of advice I can give is to start early. 

It’ll minimize stress if you start cleaning out desk drawers, packing up winter clothes and bringing a few things home if you go for Mother’s Day.

I’m not saying you need to live like a squatter, but getting a headstart on anything you can live without will take the load off.

Homeless week

For those who haven’t experienced off-campus housing, there’s a layover between when old leases end and new leases begin, commonly known as “homeless week.”

It’s the weirdest part of the Eau Claire experience. I could write an entire article about how stupid this is, but I’m not sure I could do so without swear words, so I’ll be brief instead.

If you’re resigning your lease, congratulations, you’ve avoided homeless week. If your house is like mine — wasp-infested, falling apart and cramped, you probably want to move out.

During homeless week, it’s a good idea to take time off work. It may be a little late in the game at this point but try your best.

Consider a storage unit. I’ve used Menards in the past and had good experiences. It’s easier than carting everything to your parents’ house and back.

If you have to work, or can’t get back to your parents’ house, you might need to couch surf for a bit until you can move into your new place.

As I said before, it’s stupid, but that’s how things involving landlords usually are.

There’s much to do before the school year is wrapped up, but you can do it.

Johnson can be reached at [email protected].