Photo by Andrew Speight
Every semester there’s a time when you know you’re doomed. Yes, it’s finals week. It seems as if everyone goes into work mode and gets way too stressed out. This spring, it’s time to take control and learn how to handle your stress with a few quick tips.
1. Exercise
I cannot stress enough how important exercising is for not only your physical health, but also your mental health. It boosts your endorphins so you’re happier and it also helps you sleep more soundly. Whether you go the gym or just take a long walk around campus to end your day, try and get some sort of physical activity in your schedule. As a young adult you should get somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour of exercise everyday. Tip: bring a friend along so you can encourage each other to continue with your workout plan!
2. Get Enough Sleep
We all know that those all-nighters may be inevitable for getting adequate study time but it can do some serious damage to your body and mind. There are a lot of stress-induced illnesses such as Shingles and Pneumonia that you are more susceptible to if you don’t get enough sleep. If you are sick it makes your stress that much worse! It’s not worth it so try your hardest to get close to 8 hours of sleep a day.
Tip: Set a schedule for yourself with all the work you have to do and try your hardest to get it done before 10:30pm so you can head to bed at a reasonable hour!
3. Eat Chocolate
The calming and blissful qualities of chocolate have always been a myth, but lucky for us Mark Stibich, Ph.D explains that chocolate has many good characteristics. Not only does chocolate taste good, but it stimulates the production of endorphins which are a hormone that make you happy. It also has some levels of serotonin in it, which can act as an anti-depressant and anti-anxiety.
Tip: Head over to whole foods and grab an organic dark chocolate bar.
4. Drink Hot Tea
For me personally, anything warm can be the best therapy. It helps you feel comfortable and at ease. Hot tea also has caffeine and antioxidants in it. The caffeine can help stimulate your brain so you can work more efficiently and the antioxidants are known to have immune boosters in them. With this simple drink you’ll be able to stay on top of your game!
Tip: Take a trip to the Dav and order a hot tea and get the vanilla—it’s my absolute favorite.
5. Take Some “Me” Time
During finals week a lot of people tend to lose themselves in their work. If you do this, by the end of the semester you’ll have worn yourself out more than you meant to. Make sure to plan a few breaks for yourself during study time. These breaks will help you stay focused in the long run because you will be refreshed and ready to go.
Tip: Take a much-needed nap or a bus to Georgetown to find the summer dress you’ve been dying for.
It’s not worth getting so worked up over finals week, think of it just like any other week and each final as an assignment. College students tend to freak out and become oversensitive while studying and that’s why it is so important to stay calm and just relax! Keep in mind: professors, TA’s, friends and family are always there to help whenever you need it. Good luck, collegiettes!
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/photoski415/5694865395/in/set-72157621996033162