It’s that time of the year when most college kids forget what sleep is so they can concentrate solely on finals, term papers, and capstone projects. But, they forget one important thing: you have to rest yourself before you wreck yourself. Most of the time during finals, a student’s mental health can break down a bit since they forget to take care of themselves first.
Stress might seem like a small thing, but it can quickly grow into a monster you didn’t expect. Georgetown University Student Health Services has a page on their website dedicated to finals stress. It details some signs of stress you might experience and tips. Some of the signs include:
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Skipping meals
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Feelings of anxiety or panic
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Tension headaches
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Eye twitches
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Feeling overly competitive
Some tips to decrease the stress you might experience include:
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Eating well
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Schedule time for yourself
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Limiting your sugar/caffeine intake
LearnPsychology.org even has a page that deals with health and wellingbeing for college students in general that can be found right here. The page is a guide that deals with all issues that students might face while in college, but it can definitely be useful during finals! There are guides for each type of issue you might face during college, and they can be super helpful if you can’t figure out just what you’re struggling with. The guidelines even have quizzes that you can take to help you!
Some schools have puppies come to campus to help with stress! Stony Brook is even one of them. Whether or not petting puppies for a couple of hours actually helps, I’m not sure. But, it definitely lets you relax for a bit. Plus, who doesn’t like to hang out with cute puppies instead of cramming for a final?If you’re reading this right now, remember that it’s okay to take a break! It’ll be worth it in the long run when you’re not overtired and look like the walking dead on campus. You and your mental health always come first, so if you think you need a quick break, take the break. Your paper will be right where you left it once you come back.