Two weeks before the deadline, I was the only one left to do my group assignment – one dropped the course two weeks in to the semester, and the other dropped uni two weeks before the end of semester. They left me to complete the entire thing alone.

It was worth 15 per cent of my total grade, which to be fair, isn’t a huge amount. But then again, every point counts. It was an hour presentation that had to cover three different readings and one film; and I had four other assignments due that week too. Obviously, I flipped out. I really had no idea what to do.

As it was due on the final week of semester, my other assignments were also final projects/assignments. And with a media degree, my courses were heavily dependent on coursework rather than exams. If I did badly, I had nothing else to rely on.

This is how I calmed myself down and got it done.

#1 Freak Out A Little, But Not Too Much

A little bit of stress is always good. It pushes you to work harder on your assignments, and actually do them. If you’re not stressed you’ll probably just be lying on your bed watching Netflix all day long. Just make sure the stress doesn’t get to you too much though, and that you actually do something about it. Once you’ve finished freaking out, start working.

#2 Organise, Organise, Organise!

If you’re like most people, organising is a pain, but trust me, it works. The best thing to do with a sudden situation like this is to break down the assignment – figure out step by step what you’re going to do and how you will achieve it.

#3 Let Your Tutor Know

Your tutor is always there to help. They might not be able to reply quickly – especially if you email them at 2 in the morning — but they will try. If it has been a while and they still haven’t replied you, go to their office and see if they’re around.

They might be able to give you special consideration, or extend the deadline. Any extra leeway helps.

#4 Take Some Breaks

No matter how stressed you are, or how close the assignment is due, give yourself a break. Even if its five minutes or 10 minutes, just let yourself sit there for a bit and take a breather. Look away from your laptop to give your eyes a rest, go to the bathroom, drink some water – always take some time to yourself.

#5 Get Down To It

Sometimes the easiest way to get through something is to just do it. Just sit down and start writing up your presentation, essay or whatever it is, and don’t stop writing.

Write down everything you can think of, and just let the words pour out. Then when you’re done, go revisit it and figure out what you should and shouldn’t keep. You’ll produce a better piece that way, and if anything, at least you have something to give in even if it’s not 100 per cent perfect.

(Lead image: Community/NBC)