If you’re like me, you’ve spent so much time in the past few weeks focused on final essays and studying for exams that you haven’t been able to fathom a life beyond all the stress. You walk out of the exam room directionless and contemplating what comes next for you. Well have no fear, here’s a list of the first five things you can do to get the ball rolling again in your post-finals week life:
1. Cry
But actually, you’ll either be crying because you just completely failed that exam you spent every hour of the past two weeks studying for or you’ll be crying tears of joy because you’re finally done. Either way, this is a sure fire way to de-stress after exams as your cortisol-dense tears will balance your stress levels back to normal.
2. Eat
Reward yourself for making it through these tough and trying times by buying yourself the biggest burrito out there. Or the most tantalizing pizza. Or both, I won’t judge. You also probably haven’t seen the light of day for some time now so it’d be good for you to get out there and treat yo’self.
3. Watch all the TV
Let the binge-watching begin! You can never go wrong with a good old Netflix marathon to subsequently cleanse your mental palate. Classic comedies like The Office are sure to take your mind off of the mental-emotional beating from finals. Or for something more serious, my own personal obsession recently has been the Netflix original drama The Crown. The possibilities are endless.
4. Contemplate packing
Now that the term is over, you have to start thinking about life beyond finals. You sit on your bed, doing any combination of crying, eating and binge-watching TV and think about what items you need to bring home with you. But you never quite make it off your bed to pack things. Hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?
5. Shower and/or nap
Let’s be real, the past few weeks have been non-stop bouts of studying and essay writing with the occasional mental break down to chop up the day. But now that that’s all in the past, you need to integrate into the world again. This means you need to take the longest, warmest shower in the world and follow it up by wrapping yourself in your coziest bathrobe and snuggling into bed for an equally as long snooze. You’ll wake up feeling refreshed and the nightmare of those finals will be a figment of the past.
Even if you do all, some, or none of the things on this list, make sure you’re doing something. Whether it's journaling or finding the fluffiest puppy to pet, get out there and do something you enjoy. Taking time to relax now will help you clear your head and get refocused over the break for next term. Take care of yourself. You’re worth it.
