With finals coming up soon, I've noticed more and more college students dreading the stress and anxiety they bring. Here are some tips to make the most of finals week and help it to be a little bit more bearable.
1. Make time for your favorite hobby.
Don't forget to make a little bit of "me" time along with your studying. You could draw, paint, play an instrument, journal, or even do something relaxing like listening to music or watching your favorite movie.
2. Get outside.
Nature has a natural therapeutic healing effect, so spend a little time in the great outdoors! Don't allow yourself to be cooped up in your dorm room for hours on end! Take a walk outside and notice the season; something we often fail to notice! Even better: find a friend to join you! You'll both feel much more relaxed and ready to crush your exams!
3. Make time for exercising.
I know that when you are feeling exhausted from studying, the last thing you feel like doing is fitting in a workout, but when you do so, you're killing two birds with one stone — you're getting yourself healthier and giving yourself some much-needed energy! Lace up your sneakers and go for a run or round up some friends for an impromptu basketball match!
4. Eat healthy (or at least try to).
It's tempting to reach for something easy like pizza or french fries when you're feeling stressed, but in order to feel better, your best bet is to eat foods that are more nutrient-dense. Meals should be at least half fruits and vegetables. For energy, load up on proteins. This is especially important for all your late night study sessions coming up. An easy swap is some almonds for a bag of chips. Healthier foods are much more satisfying and helpful so you can keep powering through when you're especially tired and stressed out.
5. Take a power nap.
When you've done all the studying you can handle, but you still need to do even more, grab your pillow for a snooze! For the best results, do not nap for longer than 15 minutes. Any more than that and you'll wake up feeling more groggy than refreshed. If you simply do not have any time at all to sleep, another option is to break out your Keurig Coffee maker and brew yourself a nice cup of joe. However, limit yourself to a cup every few hours. Drinking cup after cup of coffee consecutively will set you up for an eventual crash — not something you want the night before your big exam!6. Study in small bursts.
If you're anything like me, the idea of studying for hours and hours without stopping sounds incredibly boring and slightly impossible. Studying canbe something you don't despise if you allow yourself time for other activities as well. An easy solution is to plan your study session with times for breaks. My favorite way to study is 45 minutes with my nose in a textbook, and then 15 minutes doing something fun or relaxing. I like to take a break by watching Buzzfeed videos, painting my nails, or even something as simple as putting in my headphones to listen to my favorite song. Doing these things puts me in a positive mood and makes me feel much more ready to start studying again!
With these tips I hope you feel motivated and empowered to study for your finals! I know you'll do great!
