We’re all feeling it right about now: 87 projects due, 14 presentations, 56 papers to write, and approximately 92,379 things to study for. College students know what I’m talking about, in the black hole we call “April”. It’s warm and sunny for pretty much the first time all year and we want to be out enjoying it, but we are so busy and bogged down with school work and everyone’s least favorite “F” word- Finals. If you’re not feeling the pressure yet, you will soon. When the stress gets to be overwhelming and you can’t adult anymore, here’s a few things you can do to take care of yourself this finals week:
1.Get some sleep.
Staying up all night to study sounds like a great idea to some; those 8 hours studying will be much more helpful on the exam than 8 hours of sleep, right? Wrong. Make sure you study and prepare, of course, but getting your sleep will help you so much more in the long run. You’ll focus better, you won’t be tired (duh) and you’ll be able to more easily recall the information that you need. Sleep is vital to everyone’s brain, especially when under stress. Aim for the “required” 9 hours, but make sure you get at least 5 or 6 hours per night (AT LEAST).
2.Don’t forget to eat.
A very good friend of mine, in his first semester of college, lost a significant amount of weight in only 3 months. The reason? He got so busy and stressed out that he forgot to eat. One of the easiest ways to make sure you eat throughout the day, even when you’re the most busy, is to take a Ziploc bag of food with you! I do this on my busiest days, packing peanuts or popcorn, with a granola bar or “string-cheese” stick. Try to go to dining halls when you can, even if you have to take food back to your room so that you can study or do work. Your brain, just like everyone else’s, needs nourishment in order to go on and perform at its best. So, this finals season, don’t forget to eat!
3.Study smarter, not harder.
I use a 50-10 rule, but if you have better or worse time focusing for long periods of time, you can do a 45-15 or a 90-15. That’s Studying-Break time, in minutes. So, I study (or do school work) for 50 minutes, and then take a break for 10. Find out what works best for you, and if you feel like you need a break, take one! You don’t have to stick to a rule like this. On your breaks, try to stay off of social media (so you won’t be thinking about it when you get back to studying), get up and stretch or walk around, and drink some water. When I’m studying, I don’t even have my phone with me most of the time. I’ll set a timer on my laptop for 50 minutes, and I know that when it goes off, I have 10 minutes to relax, and give my brain a break. Find out what works best for you, but make sure you give yourself a break!
4.Stay organized.
One of the worst things for me, when I’m trying to get a lot done or when I’m feeling stressed, is having a messy area. When I’m stressed out, I clean up and organize, and it helps me to focus a ton better and get so much more done. This finals season, keep yourself organized by writing down everything you need to get done, in order of when it needs to be completed. Then, use separate folders for each class, so that way everything is in its place and easily found when the time comes!
5.Be comfortable.
This is not the time for skinny jeans, full makeup, and doing your hair. Nobody will judge you for breaking out the sweatpants, leggings, or basketball shorts all week- stay comfortable, and you’ll have a much easier time focusing and staying calm.
When finals week comes, make sure you’re ready for the stress and anxiety it can and will produce. Check up on your friends, too, and make sure they’re taking care of themselves as well. We’re all in this together, and we’ll come out with amazing grades, as an introduction to summer.
