With the dreaded finals week upon us, I thought it might be useful to give out a few tips on how to stay stress-free during this time of major cramming.
1. Create A Schedule
Write out a schedule of your classes and your finals. Figure out when you have the time to sit down to study and then schedule those study times in. Having a schedule planned out and in front of you can help you feel less disorganized. Being disorganized can sometimes make you feel a bit chaotic and make you think you have more to do than you actually have to. Having a planned out schedule, on the other hand, lets you see the exact things you need to accomplish, and when.
2. Take A Break
Give yourself a break! Take a lunch date or a dinner date, or even just go for some coffee with friends. Whatever it is, give yourself time to just relax for a moment. Going to classes and studying all day can make anyone feel stressed and cooped up, so give yourself the ability to just take thirty minutes or even an hour to yourself to just relax and recuperate before hitting the books once again.
3. Have A Night Out
Go out with friends one night and have some fun. A night out is going to help you relieve an immense amount of stress. Obviously, don't go out on a weekday and then show up hungover the next day, because this is only going to cause you more stress in the long run. But going out on a Friday night when you have no responsibilities the next morning is going to help you relax, and it's also just something fun to do.
4. Eat Healthy
Stuffing your face with nothing but sugars is going to make you feel unfocused and sleepy. You need to be eating foods that are going to help keep your brain awake and alert for all of the information that you are feeding it. If you are studying while tired and drowsy, then you aren't really studying at all. The information will not be retained. But, if you are studying while alert and fully awake, then the information will stick and you won't need to stress come finals time because you know your stuff. So feed your body some brain foods, and stay healthy and hydrated!
5. Get Some Sleep!
Make sure you are sleeping at night and not studying the night away. Your body needs sleep in order to be able to function properly the next day. If you lack sleep, then you are not at full capacity, and then you don't study well. Get some sleep. You will feel refreshed and relaxed the next day. Plus, studies show that those who get sleep the night before tests actually do better than those who spent the night cramming. So make sure you are sleeping!
Hopefully these tips will be useful, and may the odds be ever in your favor this finals season. Goodluck!
