Whether it’s your first time writing university finals or you’ve done it several times, stress is always involved. Relaxing before an exam enhances studying and allows you to retain more information. Here are several ways you can make sure that you’re learning and absorbing to your full potential.
1. Take a shower/bath. The hot water will help sooth your nerves as well as help putting you in a better mood. Make sure to choose your favourite smelling soap and your softest luffa. I recommend choosing soothing smells to relax or something more powerful if you’re trying to enhance your focus. However, don’t spend too much time or you’ll end up stressing yourself even more.
2. Make yourself some tea/coffee. Simply walking to the coffee machine will take your mind off things for a few minutes and moving around during your studying is essential. The time it takes to boil the water and brew the coffee is the appropriate length for a little break that won’t waste too much of your time.
3. Take a short walk! There’s nothing better than exercise to relax your brain and to keep your mind off track. Be certain to take in the scenery surrounding you. Also, don’t forget your music or your headphones!
4. One of my favourite and guiltiest pleasures is to take a few minutes and to dance the stress away. Signing adds to the stress-relief effect so you might also want to try that out. Turn on your favourite tunes and go! It’s that simple.
5. Sometimes, all you’ve got to do is take a nap. My mother always told me “Le sommeil porte conseil”, which is a French expression signifying that sleeping will help you figure things out after. It has been proven that sleeping enhances your retaining capability and learning something before sleeping will increase your chances at remembering that information. There’s nothing wrong with a power nap, especially if you’re sleep deprived! It’s much better to sleep than to take twice as long to do any work.
6. Last but never the least, take some time to pet your animals. Whether they be dogs or cats, there’s a reason why they’re known to be stress relievers. If you live in residence or simply don’t have the luxury of having some furry companions, the University of Guelph offers dog therapy/petting session during midterm season as well as final season.