You’ve heard it all before – if you prepare effectively for finals, you’ll have nothing to be stressed about. Still, it’s hard to be completely zen about an exam or paper that counts for 20% of your grade. During and after finals week, it’s important to take care of yourself so you won’t end up completely frazzled afterwards. I get it, it’s important to study and be prepared, but that shouldn’t necessarily take priority over basic hygiene and a few minutes of pampering that will help you stay focused.
Face masks are a great way to de-stress, help your skin, and make you feel a little cleaner! By using your favorite sheet or clay mask while you’re studying in your room, multitasking is easy, and it only really takes up a few minutes of your time. Doing it right before you go to sleep is really calming, especially if it smells good.
If you haven’t showered recently, there’s no time like the present. For one, you get to feel clean, and showers help your creativity (who hasn’t figured out how to solve all their problems in the shower before?). Plus, it’s like an instant reset button – you’re more alert, and you’ll feel ready to face the rest of your day.
Stress eating is something most of us have dealt with at one point or another. It’s easy to just pick out a pint of ice cream or a box of crackers and go to town, but picking “smart” snacks is an easy way to boost your energy and keep you from feeling too hungry during a study sesh. Foods like almonds, fruits and veggies, yogurt, and dark chocolate can help you feel satisfied without gorging yourself. However, if you’re done with finals and want to reward yourself, ice cream is a perfect summer treat.
Once all of your finals are done, of course, you can finally catch up on your favorite show, or find a new one to binge-watch the first week of summer. New things on Netflix include John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous, Shrek, Dear White People (Season 2), Mamma Mia!, and Coco, so that’s plenty to look forward to!
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it’s been absolutely gorgeous outside for a couple weeks now. Sure, there have been days that are really hot or sort of rainy, but if it’s just sunny and warm, grab a towel or a hammock and take your workspace outside! Don’t forget to apply sunscreen though, because the last thing you want to be focused on during an exam is how hot your face feels.
Watch study-based YouTube videos. This totally depends on the person, but I kind of like watching other people be productive. It calms me down and motivates me to do the same things in my life. One of my favorite YouTubers is Reese Regan, who vlogs about her college life and has a lot of chill study videos. If you Google “study vlog,” you can find some really nice videos to watch or even put on in the background so you don’t get distracted by music you’ve listened to before.