College students across campus have been grinding away and stressed out about finals. As a first year here at Clark, I’ll be telling you my best tips for conquering finals week!
Collect a playlist of your favorite songs to jam to while studying
Music, especially pop and dance hits, will help alleviate some stress and uplift your mood. If you are a fan of Mozart, research shows that classical music helps stimulate critical thinking and concentration. Right now I have the “Latin Party Anthems” blasting while I type this up and my final essay & I’m having a great time jamming my stress away.
If you can’t study with music on, take this time to find a quiet place in the library!
Get enough sleep, but don’t oversleep.
Get around 7-9 hours of sleep. Try to avoid staying up all night studying because your body will hate it. During readings days at Clark, keep track of your time and don’t oversleep. Keep your schedule consistent so that you can make the most out of your time when you have to be awake!
Take care of your body
Make an attempt to go to workout everyday. Through physical exercise you can release stress. On Clark’s campus there is no excuse, the gym is so close and a workout can be as short as 20 minutes! If not the gym, roll out a mat and click on a quick yoga session YouTube video in your room. I’ve been going to the gym every other day and I can see an improvement in my focus and energy when I have to go back to studying. I even watch motivational Ted Talks while running because they inspire me to keep going. Working out gives you the ability to re-energize during finals season because looking at your computer screen gets tiring on your eyes.
Choose the right foods
It is easy to fall into stress-induced eating habits and choose the chips and fries, but these food will only deplete your energy. Invest in vegetables and fruits as substitutes to fat and sugary snacks. Your body will thank you later!
Build a support system of friends and family
Make sure you can count on at least one friend or family member when you need help. Call or text them if you need advice. It is common to feel alone during these finals but everyone is in the same boat. So ask friends, even acquaintances, to go study and proof-read each other’s essays. It doesn’t hurt to put yourself out there.
As a first-generation, first-year college student I have had to find resources to get myself through school and tmy support system is a big one!
Good luck on your finals, collegiettes!