Stressed during finals? Join the club. This can be a super crazy time, but don’t let it get the best of you. There are ways you can be productive while also managing stress in a healthy way. Here are some tips for the crazy week ahead:
Move around
I’ve found that studying in one place for a long time can really drain you. It also makes you feel very confined and stuck after a while. A good way to calm yourself down is to move where you’re studying every now and then. If you feel stuck at a part in a paper or just overwhelmed about all that you have to do, move to another spot, maybe even another building. The walk there will help you clear your head and the change of scene may help get you back on track.
Listen to music
Put your books away and take a three-minute break while listening to a good song. Whether it be a song to pump you up or a song to calm you down, listening to music is often therapeutic. The key is to set your work aside for a few minutes and just think about the music, not your work or all of the assignments—just the song itself.
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Eat real meals
There can be a lot to do, but you’re not going to get it done without a good meal in your body. Surviving off snacks can work, but that doesn’t give you much time to rejuvenate. Go to the dining hall with a friend and have a quick dinner together, even if it only lasts twenty minutes. It’s good to socialize with people about something that isn’t work and to remind yourself that there are a lot of good things that don’t revolve around school. It also helps to eat a meal in full to fill yourself up and allow yourself the time to enjoy small things in life, like food.
Go to bed at a reasonable time
There’s a lot going on, but you’ll feel so much better if you actually get sleep during this week. Staying up later than usual is almost a guarantee, but you don’t want to overdo it. In getting sleep you can still feel productive: you’re taking care of yourself and making yourself better for all of the work ahead. Don’t let people shame you into not sleeping during finals—it’s a key part of doing well and relieving stress.
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Take breaks
There are some ways listed already on good ways to take a break from studying, but even just sitting back and closing your eyes for a minute before you keep typing can be useful. Sometimes it’s important just to breathe and compose yourself. If you work nonstop you’ll burn out, so even small periods of relaxing can be useful in such stressful situations.
Remember to take care of yourself this finals week. There’s a lot going on and a lot to do, but you’ll never get to all of that unless you take some time for yourself and breathe. It may seem like there’s no time to take a break, but a break may be exactly what you need (even if it’s just to go wait in line for a coffee).