If you’re anything like the typical student, especially one nearing the end of their college (or high school) career, you are probably currently denying the amount of work you have to do and instead binge watching the latest season of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" or re-watching the newest "Game of Thrones."
However, the day comes where all of your assignments are due, and you have no other choice but to buckle down and get your work done. Sometimes the stress can be overbearing and hinder your work process and quality, but when every class counts, you can’t afford to see your GPA suffer. Here are some ways to de-stress during finals week:
1. Organize and prioritize.
This seems stupid and obvious, but the more time you spend planning out what you need to get done and when, the more likely you are to stick to that schedule, and spend less time freaking out about when you need to get things done (and this way, you don’t forget about an assignment).
2. Treat yo' self.
In the words of Donna Meagle, there are days when you need to put aside everything else and give yourself a much needed day of rest and relaxation. Go to Starbucks and get the most expensive drink. Go get a mani pedi. Spend one full day before, during, or after finals to think about yourself. You deserve it.
3. Man's best friend.
Go to an animal shelter. Your friend's house. Anywhere that has a friendly, cuddly animal, go there and play with it. Taking a walk with a dog or playing with an animal is the best stress reliever out there. It takes only 30 minutes with a puppy to make you feel even better than you did after your morning coffee.
4. Clean your mess.
Wherever your workspace is, make sure it’s tidy. If you prefer to work at a coffee shop or the university library, make sure your backpack is clean and your files are in the right place. Nothing causes more stress than looking for that assignment your professor only gave one copy of … and didn’t upload online.
5. Communication.
Everyone is stressed during finals week, even your professors. Things slip through the cracks, and you forget to turn in assignments for various reasons. Talk to your professors. Let them know that you're not just slacking off, and that you really care about the class. Tell them what's going on and see if there's anything you can work out with them. Sometimes they'll be scary and won't care what your sob story is. Most of the time, granted you have good reasons, they're forgiving. They are people too.
Finals week is stressful. Remember this: it's possible to make things easier on yourself. Love yourself. And most importantly, know you are more than your GPA at the end of the semester.
