Every May, college students everywhere must face a week or two of taking dreaded final exams. Many will pull all-nighters, cramming four months of information compiled from four or five different subjects into only a few days of studying. While passing these tests is extremely important to our work toward a degree and ultimately a successful career, nothing is more important than taking care of our health.

1. Eat.

Attempting to study all day or night without eating a full meal will only lead to more exhaustion than the stress alone has already caused. A strict diet of ramen, popcorn, coffee, and take-out is not nutritious enough to keep you motivated throughout this week, or any week for that matter. Taking a trip to the dining hall and eating some fruit and vegetables will be worth the time out of your study schedule for all of the extra energy that their abundant vitamins will supply. Remembering to drink plenty of water in addition to eating real, healthy food options will also help prevent the unfortunate possibility of getting sick during finals week.

2. Sleep.

Pulling an all-nighter to ensure you review every possible detail that could show up on a final exam is more likely to be detrimental than helpful to your performance on that test. A well-rested body and mind will be focused, able to think clearly and solve problems effectively, while a sleep-deprived counterpart will be disoriented, likely to drift off and use the allotted time inefficiently.

3. Don't spend all of your time in the library.

Along with being sleep-deprived, sitting at the same library cubicle or at a cluttered dorm room desk for an indefinite amount of time is an easy way to lose track of time and be less productive than originally planned. Switching up your study space by going to a coffee shop, sitting on a bench outside or finding a new niche on campus will decrease the boredom that comes with the routine of returning to the same environment to study (and probably procrastinate) day after day.

4. Plan ahead.

Many students fall victim to procrastination, and the realization that there is much less time left to write essays, complete practice problems or make flashcards than expected causes stress levels to skyrocket. Creating an organized schedule to plan time for all of the important tasks that must be done with the days, hours or minutes you still have available before reaching this point will prevent excess stress from developing, or it will help alleviate some of this stress if this planning is already happening late as the time runs out.

5. Exercise.

As far as methods for dealing with the stress of finals week go, exercise could be seen as the most beneficial. Going for a quick run, walk, swim or bike ride is a more effective way to take a study break than simply resting for a few minutes or watching an episode of your favorite TV show, because the natural release of endorphins that exercise causes will have you coming back feeling refreshed and motivated to get back to studying. If you are in dire need of a study break but have doubts about exercising actually relieving your stress, give it a try! You will be killing two birds with one stone by also getting into better physical shape right before summer arrives.

6. Shower.

Committing so much time to studying that showering loses its importance is honestly quite gross. Besides, taking a nice warm shower can serve as another way to relieve stress after taking a difficult test or studying hard for a few hours. If you choose exercising as a way to take a study break, the importance of showering becomes even greater. It should go without saying that personal hygiene should absolutely not be sacrificed for more study time, but let this serve as a friendly reminder.

7. Treat yourself.

As an escape from the campus bubble, treat yourself to going to get a pedicure or going out for dinner one day, because this is the time when a reminder that the outside world still exists is most needed. If your school offers free massages, mindfulness sessions or any other wellness resources, definitely take advantage of these opportunities before or during finals week, as well.

8. Call your family.

If you feel the need to rant about anything that is dragging you down during finals week, from a class that is causing extreme difficulty to a struggle in a friendship or relationship, and you don’t want to bother your roommate or friends while they have their own stress to deal with, call your mom! Or call your dad, or a friend from home or a counselor. These people are all here for you as resources, and knowing that there are people who you can talk to when you need their help is comforting.

Prioritizing healthy habits will help reduce the stress that is guaranteed to accompany finals week, in addition to ensuring that our bodies and minds are in their best shape to deal with anything that may come our way.

Resources at Tulane University:

The Line is available 24/7 at (504) 264-6074

Counseling and Psychological Services (504) 314-2277

theWELL http://tulane.edu/health/thewell/index.cfm