Finals week is almost here again in Providence! The end of the semester is usually a stressful time, so it is imperative to slow down and destress when schoolwork begins to pile up on our desks.
Personally, I love to look at videos of animals on Instagram when I am having a bad day. Of course, it is even better when I see a dog walking around on campus. To destress, I suggest looking at cute puppy videos, cats hitting things, or my favorite, pandas falling over.
If you’re looking for a sort of creative outlet, I suggest coloring. When classes get complicated and nothing makes sense, sometimes it is best to go back to something simple and just color. If you are talented and can draw, that works too. But for all my untalented friends, having a coloring book and a 12-pack of colored pencils can solve a lot of problems. Also, many coloring books come with some inspirational quotes on the back of the pictures for added mindfulness.
Another thing I like to do to destress is channel my inner Meredith and Christina and dance it out. If it has been a rough week (or semester), I put on some of my favorite songs and have a personal dance party. It is something that doesn’t take long, but it will uplift my spirit as I get ready to start studying.
Taking breaks when studying is also crucial to retaining information and protecting your peace. I hate studying since it often feels like I can do more. By taking not-too-frequent breaks, I break up the studying to avoid cramming. Also, I like to have a plan for studying and breaking up the material I need to study into different sections. Using this system, I study different sections each day to prevent cramming last minute.
After a long day of studying, I just want to crawl into bed and watch a show. I find a rewatch is better since I know the plot and will not give in to the temptation to binge-watch a new show. I have been rewatching Brooklyn 99 lately since a short episode before bed provides an enjoyable end to each day.