In the hectic world of a student who is constantly challenged with exams, assignments, and tight deadlines, I found myself participating in some bad habits; such as chewing on my fingernails to often procrastinating on long essays, but chief among them was overeating.
I often have to study a lot for classes because of the many exams I’m given during my senior year, and I saw the snacks as a way to simply help release stress. My snacks would range from instant noodles, seaweed, shrimp chips, and haw flakes. The chewing distracted me at times, while filling my stomach, which made me feel more energetic while studying. But I noticed that I was also overeating at the same time and was often distracted by the action of eating.
Snacks and food were never meant to be a permanent part of my studying practices, but they eventually became incorporated after I started to get more hungry or tired when studying, and they would also even distract me from studying at times. Being too comfortable with eating would often lure me away from my textbooks and onto sites like YouTube. Determined to rid myself of this negative habit, I began my journey to break free and go without snacks while studying for 7 straight days.
On the first day, I set clear boundaries for myself. I created a designated space for studying in my own room and relocated my snacks to places that were not as accessible or easily visible. I placed packets of noodles under some tables and rice crackers outside in the living room, and promised myself not to succumb to my cravings as I studied. This strategy worked because when I would occasionally look around after feeling tired from studying, I wouldn’t find any snacks, so the thought of snacking didn’t cross my mind. So far, Day 1 was a success and the prospect for my challenge was looking promising.
On day two of the challenge, I got home hungry but decided to head straight to my room to prepare for an upcoming test. I stood strong against my desires and reminded myself of the promise I had made. I would bring out my textbook and begin reading as my mind became focused on the words, which eased the hunger. It was an overall success as I didn’t eat anything until my parents came home and cooked dinner.
Day three was about the same as the second day except that I came home and just slept because I was exhausted after taking a test, only waking up a few hours later to eat dinner and do some late-night studying before heading off to bed. I would say this day was a success because I was so tired from school that I didn’t even have time for snacking, and just went straight to bed.
Day four was when I saw a noticeable shift in my focus and productivity. Deprived from my usual routine of snacking while studying, I found myself more immersed in my coursework and studying sessions. I was more absorbed into the textbooks and the absence of chewing on food allowed me to grasp concepts more quickly. I found myself improving and discovered newfound efficiency in accomplishing my tasks. The elimination of distractions which led to an increased immersion also increased my efficiency in studying.
Day five was an improvement of day four with no thought even given to snacking when I got home at 5:20 PM after doing my calculus retake. It was a Friday so I just hopped in bed and slept because I needed some proper rest.
Day six and seven were days of accomplishment as I fixed my eating schedule with a proper time for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The thought of snacking didn’t even occur in my mind because I was preoccupied with weekend assignments. Not only did I manage to conquer my overeating habit, but I also emerged with a set of improved study habits. The week-long challenge taught me the importance of discipline and mindfulness during study sessions.
Overall, this challenge, at least for me, wasn’t very demanding as I simply willed myself to do it and took the necessary steps to ensure my success. Through this challenge, I learned that I have a strong sense of discipline when I set my mind to something. Making a good environment for getting stuff done is really important, and even small changes can help a lot. I also found out that being aware of myself and controlling my actions is key to breaking bad habits and reaching my goals. This experience showed me that I can handle tough situations and succeed.
