Jennifer Halley Campus Life Editor
The term is coming to an end. With that comes the stress and anxiety that often accompany students as they prepare for finals.
From the first-year student to the seasoned senior, finals can throw everyone through a loop. It is a week of all-nighters, hours spent poring over books or writing papers and an over-abundance of caffeine consumption.
No matter how much students prepare for finals, that dreaded week always seems to sneak up on them – catching them off guard.
Everyone always asks: “How is it already finals week?”, as if they didn’t know it was approaching.
The last few days of term should not be this chaotic. According to usnews.com, a little bit of planning – both throughout the term and for finals week – can effectively minimize a student’s stress load.
Here are a few ways students can reduce stress and get through finals week without feeling depleted by the end of it. There may even be some energy left over to celebrate afterwards.
1. Plan your schedule.
From waking up in the morning until you go to bed at night, a list of all the day’s events should be written out in a planner or a notebook.
Don’t have one of those? Get one. Research shows that time management reduces stress, procrastination, and allows a student the chance to even sleep and eat better.
Writing out everything you have to do in a day will help you to organize your thoughts and prioritize.
2. Get at least 7 hours of sleep per night.
Mayoclinic.org said that adults need seven to eight hours of sleep every night in order to maintain a healthy body and mind.
So shut off the TV, stop playing the video games and get some shut-eye. Being well-rested clears the mind and students are able to make better decisions, focus better and feel more balanced overall.
3. Plan physical activity.
Exercise exerts a number of health benefits that can promote positive well-being and even counter negative mental states, livestrong.com said. It also increases energy levels.
Half the battle of surviving finals week is feeling mentally prepared for the upcoming tests, presentations or projects, versus feeling nervous or anxious.
Taking 20 minutes to go on a jog, do some yoga, or take a quick walk will overall benefit a student’s stress levels, energy levels and feelings of well-being.
4. Utilize the writing center.
Writing final term papers can be intimidating and anxiety-inducing. In order to not become completely derailed, visit the writing center in the APSC building, where the tutors will help brainstorm, draft and edit your paper with you.
The writing center is open Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Evening hours are from 7-10 p.m. during the weekdays.
5. Take a break and hang out with friends.
Lay off the books for a few hours and take an opportunity to hang out with friends. See a movie. Go to the mall. Eat out at a restaurant. Play board games in your pajamas.
Taking a couple hours off will give you and your brain a well-deserved break, leaving you powered up and rested for the next stretch of studying.
6. Establish a good study space.
Studying in your living room amidst noisy roommates is probably not the best place to get some work done.
Whether it’s the library, your bedroom, or a quiet corner booth at Shari’s, make sure your study space allows you to focus on what you’re studying without all of the outside interference.
7. When studying, avoid social media. And your phone.
Nothing is more distracting than a Facebook post or a text message when trying to study. So shut off the phone for a while.
That way, focus can be on what is in front of you, rather than the Instagram photo of what your aunt ate for dinner.
8. Use study groups and teachers.
There is no shame in going to a teacher’s office hours to ask for help, nor is it a bad idea to get with a study group and go over notes for the upcoming exam.
Purdue University said that study groups can help to divide-and-conquer the material being studied. That way, students don’t spend all their study time trying to just organize notes.
9. Set goals for yourself.
Having goals such as getting a B on that Chemistry test, or receiving an A on that final paper, will help when you go to study. If you study with no goal in mind, your focus will be all over the place.
Set goals for studying too, such as getting through a certain number of chapters each day. This will help studying seem a little less daunting.
10. Plan a time to celebrate when it’s all over.
Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak, and having something to look forward to can help students push through this hard week, knowing it will all be over soon.
Reward yourself, and breathe after that last final. You deserve it.
