I am usually more of a self-care stress-relieving type, so when it comes to finals I do these five things more often than I would like to admit.
1. Diffuse and Chill
Diffusing Essential Oil GIF
My go-to instant anti-anxiety strategy is to grab my diffuser and use essential oils to clear my head. My favorites are eucalyptus and rose, but I enjoy spicing it up every once in a while with lavender on occasion. I could be sitting in my bed for hours with my phone turned off just meditating and collecting my thoughts thanks to my diffuser.
Homer Simpson Exercise GIF
Another way I calm down is by getting my endorphins going with a short run or as long of a walk as my schedule allows for. I notice I often get tense sitting at a desk for long periods of time, especially when I have overloaded my body with caffeine. Running and listening to music is an awesome way to stay motivated and get rid of that extra tension in your shoulders and arms from working hard at a desk for hours.
3. Yoga and Meditate
yoga GIF
If you own a yoga mat or know a place that is suitable to get on the ground and stretch I highly suggest doing so! Yoga is a new hobby I have taken up during quarantine that has never failed to ease my stress. I enjoy looking up Youtube videos of professional yoga instructors for free, but if you are a Yoga expert, feel free to create your own flow!
4. Read!
Unimpressed Sea GIF
Reading during finals might seem counterproductive when it can be time consuming. I find that when I am studying for tests heavy in math or science, reading an interesting book for a short 30 minutes can help me feel less distracted. Whether that be books, a short script or poetry, anything you find interesting will help.
5. Face Masks and Baking
Baking Golden Retriever GIF
Although face masks and baking don't exactly go hand in hand, I find it is the best combination to treat yourself in more ways than one! I myself am not the most avid baker, but I still find buying a little cake mix and baking it up in my kitchen to be stress-relieving and tasty. During the holidays especially, baking some easy store bought Christmas cookies has been one of my favorite activities. The face masks I buy are usually drugstore and help with moisturizing while I am waiting for my tasty baked goods to be ready!
I truly believe that one of the most important parts of taking finals and ensuring success is to find simple ways to calm your mind before attempting to retain the loads of information required from your classes.
