I don’t need to tell you that exam week is hell; every article you read nowadays pushes this idea, and it’s totally true! Exam week can be one of the most stressful and hectic times in a college student’s life, and once it’s over, there’s a huge sigh of relief that spans across the whole VCU campus. For exam week, there are several things you can do or buy that will make the time just a little more bearable.

1. Decorations for your room or apartment

There’s nothing worse than coming home after a stressful day of exams to see a dreary grey apartment. Buy some holiday decorations to spice things up and remind you that once exams are over, it’s time for eggnog and spending time with friends and family. If you live in student housing like me, decorations can really make a difference.

2. Holiday cookies

Even if you don’t have a sweet tooth, just cutting cookie dough into fun shapes and then decorating them when they come out of the oven can serve as a big stress reliever. If you don’t want to have a hundred cookies in your apartment waiting to be eaten, you could pass them out in class or to your professors as a treat or a thank you.

3. Tickets to the movies

Around the holidays, movie theaters will oftentimes have special showings of popular holiday movies that you can see for cheaper than a regular movie. The Byrd Theater in Richmond has cheap movie nights, though they may not all be holiday themed.

4. Swag from your school

When I go home for the holidays, I like to represent my school by wearing VCU shirts often (and buying VCU apparel for my siblings)! That way I’m not forgetting my second home while I’m away at my first.

5. Spending time with your closest friends

This may not sound like a priority when you have three papers due, four exams to study for, and only a week to do them, but seeing your friends can help you de-stress and have fun for a small amount of time before going back to the hectic life of a college student. If your friends go to another university, FaceTime or call them and chat for a bit. It really helps.

6. Spending time with your (or someone else’s) pets

If you have a dog, or you have a friend with a dog, you should be playing with that dog. It’s a great stress reducer, and it’s much easier to attend than Paws For Stress at VCU, which usually has a really long line and you only get to spend a few minutes with the animals.

7. Self-motivation

Don’t forget that you’re the best, and you can make it through exam week!

Have these seven holiday essentials on hand and you can never go wrong. Happy Holidays!