In the wake of upcoming finals, it can be hard to keep your head calm and collected, but it's still vital to have a positive outlook.
With that said, there are many ways in which stress can be managed during this difficult time, where frantic studying and all-nighters become a method by which students cram information into their head. Someone once told me that one of the best ways to manage stress and anxiety between studying is to have a self care plan, which is essentially just an all-encompassing guide with a few basic rules to follow.
One of the most important things the self care plan includes is getting a proper amount of sleep, which in the case of most college students is around 7-8 hours. So while staying up all night hitting the books may look like your best option, getting a good amount of sleep is actually vital when it comes to storage information in your long term memory. Granted, some people do still function well on 3-4 hours of sleep, but it's important to still get at rest a few hours of snooze time. Many experts recommend putting the phone away or turning off the TV about an hour before you sleep to ensure that you fall asleep quicker and easier.
Secondly, the self care plan includes eating something healthy at least every 3-4 hours to keep your blood sugar up. It's best to actually cut out many forms of caffeine during this time, such as chocolate or coffee, as tempting as they may be. They might give you a sugar rush at first, but you're bound to come off the high eventually. Have more balanced snacks, like granola bars, crackers, or fruit.
Although many people may know that a good amount of sleep and proper food is essential in maintaining your health, one aspect of the self care plan which is slightly less known when it comes to managing anxiety, is to have at least 20-30 minutes during the day where you take time for yourself. Here's the important part though, it has to be something relaxing that doesn't involve electronics like your TV or your phone. This could be anything from coloring, to reading a book, to writing in a journal.
Good luck, and if you ever feel too overwhelmed by all the work, just remember that summer is right around the corner.
