The week before any school break is insane. Midterms and papers left and right, and for me, two work-study jobs. I slept maybe 4-5 hours a night and subsisted entirely on Luna bars, plain salads, and lots of tea and coffee.

As a result, my nose has mutated into a faucet and my sinuses feel like a bomb about to blow. The lesson learned here? I absolutely have to take care of myself, especially when I am most busy and stressed. That's the time my body needs me the most.

One of our greatest teachers is our bodies. I keep forgetting that, until it makes me learn things the hard way. It's not just a transport vehicle for our minds.

Well, at least my cold was well-timed. I'll spend my time at home resting, eating good home-cooked food, and taking it easy. I'll also catch up on the days I've missed on the finance series. I'm glad several of you are going to try doing the series as well!

If you know you're pushing your body to its limits right now and don't have time to sleep and eat properly, try finding ways to be more efficient with your work and replace other rest activities (such as watching TV, chatting on the phone, going out to movies) with more sleep and cooked food. If that's not possible, try doing breathing meditation for just ten minutes that day. Get yourself away from your work/desk, sit down, close your eyes, and focus solely on each inhalation and exhalation. The effects are extraordinary.