The State News, December 5, 2023

Michigan State’s Independent Voice

MSU’S 88-YEAR-OLD CATTLE CARETAKER Deadline to request Credit-No Credit DEDICATES LIFE TO DAIRY extended until Dec. 8 CA M P U S

By Audrey Richardson arichardson@statenews.com At 5:15 a.m., Duane Reum slides into his leather Red Wing boots and puts the keys to his 1972 International Har vester pickup truck in the ignition.

The truck’s vintage headlights shine his way as the tires rumble five minutes down the road and roll to a stop in the gravelly lot of the MSU Dairy Farm.

Monday through Thursday, Reum clocks-in before 6 a.m. for his morning duties at the farm.

At 88 years old, with over 50 years of experience in dairy farming, Reum is among the oldest MSU employees, according to MSU Media and Public Information Communications Manager Mark Bullion.

In 2019, a member of the Reum family forwarded a Facebook advertisement of an open position at the farm to Jen Reum, Duane’s daughter. Jen helped her father curate his first resume, complete the online application and helped prepare for his first job interview.

Duane was hired.

“He never had a job where he had to clock in, so I wasn’t sure how it was going to go,” Jen said.

“We were looking for something for him to do, and this just seemed like a perfect fit.”

Working as an animal and facilities caretaker, Duane helps

with daily milking duties, mowing the vast lawns at the farm and general cleanliness of the barns.

Four years later, Duane comes home from work eager to tell his daughter stories from the farm each day. While Jen doesn’t share the same passion for cows, she said it’s been a constant her whole life.

“He just likes being around cows, I don’t know how to explain it,” she said. “I think he must have loved them a lot more than I did.”

In 1939, at the age of four, Duane met a cow for the first time while helping his neighbors with chores. The friendly, spotted animals left an impression on him.

While the Reum family and his Grandpa Roscoe’s legacy was filled with many farmers, Duane and his father became the first members of their lineage to work with dairy after seeing their neighbor’s success. In 1951, they began milking cows on farm shares, where farm owners rented land for the Reum family to use.

I n 1954, Reu m at tended Michigan State University for a degree in dairy production with the mission of running his own farm. In 1960, that dream became a reality.

“I can’t explain why I like cows; I just like being around them,” Duane said. “I mean it’s kind of

The policy allows students to be able to take classes outside their field of study without it affecting their GPA.

like dogs, you know. Some people get along with dogs. I like cows.”

That love shines through Duane as he weaves through the barn to lead the movements of over 200 cows. His gruff and skilled hands curl around the intricate metal fence structures that control the cows’ course to the milking station. He knows the familiar hum of a cow in heat, needing to be milked, the moo of a cow “angry” with him and the longing look of a cow wanting to be pet.

“I can walk down the barn and see the cows, and if they stick their chin out, they want attention,” he said. “I’ll stop and I’ll rub them, and nobody else in that barn that work s t here does that. It’s just my behavior.”

Duane’s com m it me nt to the cows extend beyond his occupation. His whole life he has only ever drank milk and water.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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CULTURE

MSU freshmen share safety fears, navigating campus after shooting

For many freshman and new students, the fear of shootings go beyond university intervention and point to a larger political issue of gun violence in America.

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CAMPUS

Finals week stress: MSU students and expert share studying tips

Duane Reum, 88, of Lansing, poses for a portrait at the end of his shift at the Dairy Cattle and Research Center in Lansing on Sept. 28, 2023. Photo

by Audrey Richardson.

According to an MSU professor, the lack of time management and sleep spent studying results in unhealthy study habits that only increase stress levels.

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Everything you need to know about fall commencement 2023

By Owen McCarthy omccarthy@statenews.com The fall commencement ceremonies will be held on Dec. 15 and 16 at the Breslin Center. Here’s everything you need to know before attending.

TIMES

The ceremony for students receiving doctoral, educational specialist and master’s degrees will be on Friday, Dec. 15 at 3:30 p.m.

The ceremony for graduating seniors in the following colleges will be held on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m.: • Students of the Broad College of Business graduation on May 6, 2023. Photo by Henry Szymecko.

T U ES DAY, D ECE MB E R 5, 2023

@THESNEWS

•

Arts and Humanities (Residential College) Arts and Letters

STAT E N EWS.COM

• • • • •

Eli Broad College of Business Education James Madison Music Social Science

The ceremony for graduating seniors in the following colleges will be held on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 2 p.m.: • • • • • •

Agriculture and Natural Resources Communication Arts and Sciences Engineering Lyman Briggs Natural Science Nursing

SPEAKERS

The keynote speaker for the advanced

degrees ceremony will be John Hildebrand, the international secretary for the National Academy of Sciences. He will receive an honorary Doctor of Science Degree.

MSU alumnus Linda Apsey, president and CEO of the nation’s largest independent electricity commission company, or ITC Holdings Corp., will address the 10 a.m. group. She will receive an honorary Doctor of Business Degree.

David Macmillan, a James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry at Princeton University and recipient of the 2021 Nobel Prize in chemistry, will address the 2 p.m. group.

He will receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

We CU SHOWING YOUR SPARTAN SPIRIT. • Apply for your MSUFCU Platinum Plus Visa Credit Card.

• Receive 1% cash back on ALL purchases once approved.1 • Rates as low as 13.90% APR.2

msufcu.org | 517-333-2424 | Visit a branch 1

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MSUFCU Platinum Plus Visa cardholders will earn 1% cash back on all purchases. Cash back is not earned on tax payments, any unauthorized charges or transactions, cash advances, convenience checks, balance transfers, or fees of any kind. Account must be in good standing to redeem cash back. Returns result in the loss of cash back equal to the amount returned. Negative cash back will be given if returns or credits exceed purchases. 2 Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 13.90% is lowest rate offered for MSUFCU Platinum Plus Visa Credit Card. Actual rate determined by member’s credit score.

T H E STAT E N EWS

TU ESDAY, DECEMBE R 5, 2023

Vol. 114 | No. 6

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2023

FROM COVER COMMENCEMENT:

MEET THE STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Morgan Womack

LIVESTREAM

All commencement ceremonies will be livestreamed on MSU’s C om me nc e me nt C e r e mon ie s webpage. Additionally, social media users can follow the event with #SpartanGrad23.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION • • • • •

Only small, transparent bags will be allowed in the building.

Cameras and small clutch bags not exceeding 4.5” X 6.5” are permitted.

Outside food and beverages are prohibited.

There will be a limited concessions menu during the ceremony.

Family and friends can submit messages and photos to be displayed at the event prior to the ceremony.

MANAGING EDITOR Ashley Zhou COPY CHIEF Jada Vasser MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Audrey Richardson CAMPUS EDITOR Amalia Medina CULTURE EDITOR Dipika Rao REGIONAL EDITOR Liz Nass SPORTS EDITOR Bella Johnson DESIGN Grace Montgomery Abbey Ross

Hundreds of families make their way in and out of Breslin Center for the 2023 commencement ceremonies on May 5, 2023. Photo by Audrey Richardson.

CONTACT THE STATE NEWS (517) 295-1680

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T U ES DAY, DECE M B ER 5, 2023

STATEN EWS.CO M

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FROM COVER CATTLE CARETAKER: “I never touched an alcohol beverage,” Duane said. “Milk and water is all I ever drank. When we quit milking cows, I don’t like the taste of bought milk either.”

His age doesn’t deter him from quality work at the farm. In fact, when Duane clocks in, it provides a sense of relief, Hannah Sheathelm, his coworker said.

“I would choose working on moving cows with Duane over a lot of other people,” she said. “I’m amazed by that man every day.”

Duane’s presence at the farm is invaluable, Jim Good, the dairy cattle farm manager said.

“Duane gets benefit out of the job and we get benefit out of Duane, more so than just his physical duties that he performs,” Good said. “I think there’s a lot of value in having him here.”

From living through times like World War II to surviving the West

Duane Reum, 88, of Lansing, laughs with his coworker Randy Bontrager at the end of his shift at the Dairy Cattle and Research Center in Lansing on Sept. 28, 2023. While Bontrager eats during his lunch break at 11:30 a.m., Reum is ready to head home after his morning shift at the farm. Photo by Audrey Richardson

Duane Reum, 88, of Lansing, waits for his turn to move cows through the milking station at the Dairy Cattle and Research Center in Lansing on Sept. 18, 2023. Photo by Audrey Richardson

Nile virus, Duane is a living history book. His work ethic is unmatched and that is something that other workers can benefit from, Good said.

“Duane is no stranger to hard work,” Good said. “He is special,

do was farm and milk cows.”

“To me, I never looked at it as a job,” Duane said. “All I ever wanted to do was farm and milk cows.”

Through the childhood nostalgia of farming or the company of the gentle

and it’s good for all of us to have him here.”

Duane has no plans of leaving anytime soon, he said.

“To me, I never looked at it as a job,” Reum said. “All I ever wanted to

cows, Duane’s love for dairy hasn’t dwindled in his 70 years of working, and the farm loves him right back.

TikTok influencers, toxic masculinity and representation: MSU students discuss

Illustration by Zachary Balcoff

By Daniel Schoenherr dschonherr@statenews.com Throughout November, TikTok influencer Prayag Mishra has become a prominent figure of what has become known as the “sassy man apocalypse” on social media.

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“Sassy men are up?” Prayag said in an Oct. 4 TikTok post. “We’ve been up. We’ve been expressing our feelings; we never care. I just want to push it even further.”

I n a n a f f ront to t radit iona l masculine posts and behaviors, influencers like Mishra have amassed

TU ESDAY, DECEMBE R 5, 2023

millions of followers by engaging in “feminine” trends.

Neuroscience sophomore Liliana Ribusovski said Mishra stood out on her social media feed for calling his followers “pookie bears” and popularizing the catchphrase, “It’s the way you act.”

“I love his little mannerisms and his finger dance,” she said, mimicking Mishra by moving her hands back and forth in a framing motion.

Ribusovski said she feels connected to influencers like Mishra because of his relatable rhetoric and inviting vibe.

“It’s kind of like something that I would say to my friends,” she said.

Now, Ribusovski said she uses the phrase “sassy man apocalypse” all the time.

“It’s usually used with stereotypical traits that are feminine, like using certain words,” Ribusovski said. “I’ll say it to a guy if I say something … and they’re like, ‘Slay.’ Like, giving attitude.”

R ibusovsk i fol lows a not her influencer: Jake Shane. Like Mishra, Shane’s content combats men’s toxic

behaviors online.

“It can show that you don’t have to act a certain way,” she said.

Human biology freshman Isha Alsam was introduced to Mishra by her sister. Though she doesn’t know much about him, she “loves” and “supports” him.

“He confused me at the beginning, but it made me laugh a lot,” Aslam said. “His (attitude) just kind of stuck with me.”

Prayag is unlike any inf luencer Aslam has seen. “ He ’s ju s t d i f fe r e nt; he ’s unpredictable,” Aslam said. “Anytime he has some new video, it’s just kind of random. It’s funny.”

Aslam said she feels culturally represented by Mishra.

“As a brown person myself, we’re very silly, and I love seeing that one side in brown men,” she said. “There needs to be more of that.”

Aslam said she has never seen online presence of her cultural community until Mishra rose in popularity.

“I’m like, ‘My own race, where are we?’” Aslam said. “It’s crazy that

other races know about (Mishra).”

A c c or d i ng to D at a R e p or t a l , although the majority of TikTok’s top inf luencers are white, South Asian countries like Singapore and Indonesia are seeing the highest user growth rates.

W hen psyc holog y sophomore Rachel Blanchard first saw Mishra, she respected him for his confidence. “(He) is more than not afraid to express any (sassy) traits,” Blanchard said. “He stands for being, like, confident in yourself and not worrying about perception of how men should act.”

Blanchard added she has a sassy friend like Mishra.

“He’s not afraid to express any feminine traits and just authentic,” she said. “It can be seen as sassy. It can be seen as confident.”

While Blanchard has seen a lot of backlash from commenters calling him “annoying” and “unfunny,” she disagrees.

“He’s not annoying,” she said. “He incorporates social media trends into his own voice. It’s just authentically him.”

CA MPU S

PUNKS WITH LUNCH LANSING CELEBRATES SIXTH YEAR SERVING COMMUNITY

By Gabrielle Yeary gyeary@statenews.com In the quest to expand outreach s e r v ic e s for d r ug u s e r s a nd individuals afflicted by homelessness in Lansing, Punks with Lunch Lansing emerged six years ago as a dynamic harm reduction street organization aiming to provide food, housing assistance, HIV testing, recovery options, seasonal clothing and attire and personal care items for individuals in need.

Beyond the tangible offerings of food and supplies, the organization promotes community involvement, inviting volunteers to contribute to a transformative journey for thousands of people within the community, Punks with Lunch Lansing co-founder Julia Miller said. “ We of fer people autonomy, support, respect and love,” Miller said. “We strive to decrease stigma against a marginalized community and offer hope to people.”

Punks with Lunch is a long-standing nonprofit organization originally founded in West Oakland, California.

In November of 2017, Julia Miller saw an opportunity to help nurture the Lansing community and co-founded Punks with Lunch Lansing.

Starting with small organized resource distribution events in Reutter Park, the organization has steadily expanded its footprint over the course of six years.

Punk s w it h Lunch stands as a beacon of compa s sion a nd empowerment, going beyond political

James Saylor, who has previously worked with the organization and is receiving services from them, and co-founder and Executive Director of Punks with Lunch co-founderJulia Miller pose for a photo in the main office at Punks with Lunch.

Photographed on Nov. 20, 2023. Photo by Sonya Barlow

and religious boundaries to uplift the unhoused and those battling drug addiction, Miller said.

Miller said a noteworthy aspect is the organization’s deliberate choice to remain unaffiliated with any political or religious groups — a distinctive trait applauded by both volunteers and beneficiaries, she said. The organization’s neutrality creates an inclusive space where individuals from diverse backgrounds find common ground.

“We actually are very political,” Miller said. “Food is political, housing is political, harm reduction is political. We just don’t like the politics surrounding it.”

A unique component of Punks with Lunch Lansing is the Harm Reduction Hub: designed to prevent and reduce drug usage risks.

Operat i ng on weekday s a nd established through connections with health organizations across the state, the Harm Reduction Hub is a syringe

service program in Ingham County, providing resources such as Narcan and anti-overdose agent training, needle exchange, safer use kits and recovery resources.

Harm reduction emerges as a newer alternative to combat drug overdoses and mishandling, focusing on improving overall well-being and changing how things were when Punks with Lunch Lansing was first founded.

“It was, at the time, very illegal

for us to openly distribute needles without putting risk upon ourselves and others,” Miller said. “We were very underground regarding how many harm reduction supplies we distributed.”

Miller is currently also the director of the Harm Reduction Hub and emphasized how important it is to Punks with Lunch Lansing. Miller said that while the harm reduction program has experienced backlash and withdrawn support from the community, it is a tool that helps keep people alive in bigger cities.

Beyond static distribution events, Punks with Lunch Lansing operates a mobile unit that reaches various locations in the Greater Lansing area four days a week. Volunteer efforts extend beyond scheduled events, with dedicated individuals hitting the streets nearly every day to provide essentials such as hand warmers, weather-appropriate gear and nourishing food.

From making sandwiches, harm reduction kits and hygiene kits to shadowing at the office, there is an opportunity for every individual to get involved and help create a lasting impact on the community, Miller said.

Coming up on the sixth year anniversar y, Punks with Lunch L a nsi ng cont i nues to put t he community’s needs first: expanding the organization and their reach in the Greater Lansing area to work for collective action against community harm in Lansing.

Deadline to request Credit-No Credit extended until Dec. 8

The Spartan Statue on Sept. 17, 2019. State News File Photo

By Ridhima Kodali rkodali@statenews.com Michigan State University students now have until Dec. 8 to request a “Credit-No Credit ” grade for courses that do not fulfill major or general education requirements for this semester. This was formally announced on t he universit y ’s advising page, last updated Nov. 17. Here is some more information about why the policy was instituted

and how it affects students.

What is the Credit-No Credit policy?

The Credit-No Credit, or CR-NC, policy has been established within MSU for years. The policy allows students to be able to take classes outside their field of study without it affecting their GPA. To gain credit, undergraduate students must earn a GPA above 2.0, while graduate students must earn a GPA above 3.0. A “no credit” grade is applicable when undergraduate and

graduate students score below a 2.0 and 3.0, respectively.

If a student opts in for CR-NC, the Office of the Registrar records it, and CR or NC will be placed in the student’s transcript. To be granted the option of CR-NC, students must request and communicate with the Office of the Registrar.

After CR or NC is requested and approved, students may not change their decision. Students cannot have more than 20 “CR” grades within the system. However, limitations on how many credits a student can take on the basis of CR-NC will generally be determined by the college.

When is the deadline to request?

The deadline to request a CR-NC grading option is typically during the middle of the semester. However, during the COV ID-19 pandemic and following the Feb. 13 campus shooting, MSU adapted the policy to accommodate to students’ needs.

This semester, MSU extended the deadline to request CR-NC to the last day of classes, Dec. 8, to alleviate and reduce stress for students affected by the Israel and Hamas conflict, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Studies Mark Largent said. However, this only pertains to elective classes and not general education or majorrequired classes. “(President Woodruff ) asked us

for ideas to help lift some stress f rom st udent s who m ight be disproportionately impacted by those kinds of things,” Largent said. “We have tools at our disposal to help students adapt to different kinds of circumstances that arise this semester.”

Why was the deadline extended?

Vice President of Arab Cultural Society, or ACS, Saba Saed said the CR-NC deadline extension was one of the many requests made by ACS, the Muslim Student Association and Students United for Palestinian Rights when they met with Interim President Teresa Woodruff. This was after Saed attended the most recent Board of Trustees meeting, where she said she “called them out a little bit.” “(Woodruff) wanted to meet with us,” Saed said. “We said credit and no credit, and that’s the bare minimum.

I think it’s kind of hypocritical and to say (the decision) was like, out of grace, especially since ... that was the only thing she kind of met us with and listened to.”

Saed said she also talked to Woodr uf f about how students’ academics have suffered following the conflict escalating on Oct. 7. As a student leader, she said, she and others have had to make the sacrifice of missing class to advocate or meet with faculty to “talk about certain T U ES DAY, DECE MBE R 5, 2023

things” and “get resources.”

“And that is kind of the institution’s fault — they didn’t provide it, that we had to take that step,” Saed said.

“So that’s why we asked for the credit no credit, and I’m glad that they followed through with it.”

What do students think?

Saed said she “really liked” the decision to extend the CR-NC request deadline but didn’t like how the administration made “it as if it was ... made out of consideration.”

“But I think that it’s great,” she said.

“I think if it can help a lot of students during this rough time, then I’m glad and I’m happy about it.”

However, she was disappointed that the policy only applied to elective classes and felt it was therefore “not actually helpful.”

“To kind of have that option, what makes you think it’s only for elective classes?,” Saed said. “If we declined academically, obviously it would be in every single class. I’m not going to be like, okay, just my elective classes.

I think it’s kind of inconsiderate.

It increases the distrust and no confidence.”

Saed hopes the policy is extended to all courses or can be utilized for classes on a case-by-case scenario.

“Do right, do right,” Saed said. “Like that’s it, but do something to the full extent of it.”

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MSU freshmen share safety fears, navigating campus after shooting

By Jack Williams jwilliams@statenews.com After the Feb. 13 shooting on Michigan State University’s campus, the university added multiple security updates around campus. However, for many freshmen and new students, the fear of shootings go beyond university intervention and point to a larger political issue of gun violence in America.

Political theory and constitutional democracy freshman JJ DeFeo came to MSU from New Hampshire, drawn in by the undergraduate research opportunities, unique programs and small number of core university class requirements. When he got news of the shooting, DeFeo said it was shocking that he toured the building the where the shooting had occurred.

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Caution tape lines the outside of the Union on Feb. 14, 2023, one day after the mass shooting at Michigan State University. State News File Photo.

While the tragedy didn’t change DeFeo’s decision to attend MSU, he said it emphasized gun violence across the country.

“Anywhere that I choose very well could be the next target,” DeFeo said.

“Coming here wouldn’t be necessarily any more or less dangerous than anywhere else.”

James Madison freshman Jack Glazier feels that MSU put enough effort to make the campus feel like a safe place, and there hasn’t been a moment where he didn’t feel safe on campus. Though the shooting didn’t change his view on MSU, he said it changed his view on school in general.

“If this could happen at Michigan State it could happen anywhere,” Glazier said.

Since the shooting, MSU’s security updates include the addition of locks in classrooms, new emergency procedures and a new campus building lock time at 6 p.m.

However, DeFeo said the issue is political, and the university reallocating funds to legislation that lobby for safer gun policies could be a better long term investment over some of the updates MSU has been providing.

DeFeo pointed out how some campus buildings are locked at an earlier time than before the shooting.

“If you want to lock the buildings at all times, that’s one thing, but locking them at 6 p.m. is just kind of a pointless, arbitrary time,” he said.

The newly installed metal detectors

TU ESDAY, DECEMBE R 5, 2023

at Spartan Stadium are another example. For DeFeo, the metal detectors insinuate that there may be a threat at the stadium. If that’s the case, he said, it can be argued that metal detectors should be added in lecture and dining halls, where hundreds of students will often be.

“I feel like the only reason they put them into the football stadium is because that’s where a lot of people from the public go,” DeFeo said. “(MSU) can show off that they’re trying to do things. Whether or not they’re actually effective at protecting students seems to be relatively irrelevant.”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer visited East Lansing on April 13 to sign laws aimed at reducing gun violence. The laws expanded background checks

and increased security in homes with children for firearms.

President of the March for Our Lives MSU chapter Joseph Kesto feels the recent security updates are in the interest of protecting the university’s image rather than students, as many students still don’t feel safe on campus.

In the event of another shooting, there isn’t a lot that the university could do to stop it, Kesto said, so responses should be aimed at comforting students. He said more community-based events, like the student-led vigil, were effective at bringing people together.

“We had the student-led vigil, but we didn’t really have anything after that,” Kesto said. “It was just more protesting because we were angry until we saw those laws, and now that we (do), you can still see people don’t feel safe.”

Even beyond the shooting, Kesto said, many students in the Palestinian, Black and Jewish communities don’t feel safe, and the university continues to focus on protecting their image amidst the presidential search and Board of Trustees meetings.

MSU Department of Police and Public Safety plans to update security cameras with AI-based software that allows for 24/7 monitoring on campus, something that has raised First Amendment concerns among community members.

“I feel as safe as I would anywhere at any university,” DeFeo said. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean that I feel 100% safe, right?”

CA MPU S

FINALS WEEK STRESS: MSU STUDENTS AND EXPERT SHARE STUDYING TIPS

By Lauren Coin lcoin@statenews.com Finals week is traditionally one of the most stressful times of the year for college students. Lack of time management and sleep from all nighters spent studying result in unhealthy study habits that only increase stress levels.

For criminal justice freshman Sara Saba, avoiding procrastination during her first semester of final exams is a priority.

“On the usual basis, I’m pretty much a last minute kind of person,” Saba said. “But with finals, I’m trying to be a little bit better.”

Educational psychology professor Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia said students tend to procrastinate for a number of reasons — sometimes because the task seems too big or because they don’t think they have the ability to accomplish it.

“I think both of those issues are things that you can solve if you get more at the heart of it,” LinnenbrinkGarcia said. “(Ask) ‘Why is it that I don’t want to do that?,’ and do a little bit of self-reflection. Then you can engage in some self-regulation to try to monitor that and kind of shift your patterns of behavior.”

Students can change procrastination behaviors by reminding themselves of the value of the class and content

Illustration by Abbey Ross

they’re learning or by connecting the material to a long-term life goal, Linnenbrink-Garcia said. She added that by reframing the way of thinking, students can better motivate themselves to complete the task.

Mechanical engineering senior Yusuf Abbas said after four years, he’s “desensitized” to the typical stress of finals week.

“I’m pretty used to it,” Abbas said.

“So I’m not stressed at all; I’m actually feeling pretty good about it.”

Biochemistry and molecular biology sophomore Meghan McGill said having a study plan in place helps ease her worries during the last few weeks of the semester.

McGill starts preparing at least two weeks before her exams, organizing her tasks in an Excel spreadsheet and breaking down the workload into more manageable chunks.

“I think no matter how prepared I’ll be, I’ll be a little bit stressed,” McGill said. “But I think having a plan does

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help ease the stress a little bit.”

Neuroscience sophomore Allison Doneth uses a list with checkboxes to keep track of her completed assignments.

“It just makes me feel good to check off boxes,” Doneth said.

Breaking down “daunting” tasks into smaller, easier-to-reach goals is a habit that Linnenbrink-Garcia recommends.

“If you set these really big goals and then you don’t meet them, it’s going

to be even harder to get going on it because you’re gonna feel like you’re already behind,” Linnenbrink-Garcia said. “So you want to set goals that are small, that are close, and that you feel like you can accomplish.”

Students can also motivate themselves to study by implementing small rewards, such as a break or treat after completing a task, she said.

“We generally don’t advise people to use a lot of extrinsic rewards because it can undermine your intrinsic motivation,” Linnenbrink-Garcia said. “But, I think there’s a time and a place for it when you’re not feeling the intrinsic motivation to do it — that you can use small extrinsic rewards to help yourself build better study habits.”

She noted that while developing studying habits are beneficial, it’s also important for students to give themselves time away from studying to maintain a healthy life balance.

“Give yourself the space for your mental health to step away for a little bit, get some exercise, hang out with some friends,” LinnenbrinkGarcia said. “Those things are really important for you to have a balance, especially as you’re heading into finals.”

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