How To Alleviate Stress During Finals

Finals at Fairfield University are creeping up faster than students think, leaving them scrambling to get all of their work done on time and studying endlessly in the library.

Unsurprisingly, this is a very stressful and difficult time for most students. But not to worry, there are many ways of going about relieving stress and letting all of the poisonous finals anxiety out.

For instance, during a beautiful spring day on April 30, students emerged from out of their cavelike dorm rooms to participant in the outdoor roller rink event outside of the Kelley Center from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Not only is it imperative that students take breaks, but a graduating student, Jason Abate, suggests that continually studying the material throughout the course of the semester will do the trick in the long run.

“The key is to pace yourself and try to get things done efficiently. Some things I always try and do, for example, is study throughout the course as if I was studying for the final. Even if you know you won’t have to pick up the material for a while, look it over a little every two weeks and you’d be surprised how much easier it is,” Abate said.

Abate added that by doing this, there is a less likely chance of having to do everything all at once and that the brain works better when it’s not under constant stress.

“Stay positive and keep true to what you believe in and the results that you really want will come accordingly. In addition, try and work with your professors. Not asking questions or getting the most out of teachers is your fault. Get them involved and make sure to make the most out of the advice and wisdom they can offer you,”Abate said.

Of course, everyone copes with their stress differently. According to a self-conducted poll specifically geared toward Fairfield University students, 25.9 percent of students have their own way of coping with stress besides exercising, studying with friends, and taking a nap and the second highest statistic from the poll is the 22.4 percent of students listen to music. There were 58 participants in total.

What Fairfield Students Do To Relieve Stress

Source: Kelsey Shockey

According to an assistant director of Counseling and Psychological Services, Dr. Phyllis Weihs, “There is an influx of students who come to counseling leading up to finals due to academic pressures. We want students to perform to their best of their abilities and we encourage them to receive counseling so that they can relax. It all has to do with the mind, body and spirit.”

She also noted how when observing a patient, counselors ask questions such as the following:

• How much coffee are you drinking?
• Are you getting enough sleep?
• Are you engaged in an activity that gives you joy?

“Going to counseling is like going to a trainer, we help students plan out their studying schedules and prioritize their tasks to help them feel in control,” Dr. Weihs said.

In fact, there are even a variety of apps that can be used for coping with stress such as Mindshift, Smiling Mind and Breather2Relax.

On May 4 from 12 to 2 p.m., members of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship handed out finals goody bags in the upper level of the Barone Campus Center as a gesture to make the students feel at ease.

Check out what Colby Putnam had to say about handing out care packages during finals:

All in all, there are outlets available to students and to anyone who may be stressed so that they can live happy and healthy lives during and beyond finals.