Finals week can easily be described as one of the most stressful parts of the semester. With their GPAs on the line, students all over campus are cramming for tests, cranking out one paper after another, and fighting back tears. Sleep is a luxury and a rarity, coffee is consumed at unhealthy rates, and Hillman is PACKED with panicked students ready to fight Hunger Games-style for an empty table. Sometimes it all becomes too much, and for our sanity’s sake, we need to take a step back and refresh our minds and spirits before someone gets hurt. So, when you feel that you need a break, take an hour or two to yourself and check out one of these activities!
Step Outside
Say it with me now: sunlight is your friend. I know at first it may burn after sitting in Hillman for nine straight hours, but sunshine and fresh air will wake you up and lift your spirits tremendously. Weather permitting, leave your books and laptop behind and step outdoors for an hour. Read (for fun!) on a bench in Schenley Plaza, pack a picnic to eat on the lawn of Soldiers and Sailors, or sprawl out on the Cathedral grass and take a nap. Then you can head back to whatever dungeon you were studying in feeling warmed, refreshed, and ready to tackle your next assignment.
Stop and Smell the Flowers
Literally. What better way to step back from the stress and chaos of finals week than to surround yourself with the beauty and serenity that comes with the glorious displays of Phipps Conservatory? Whether you have never been or go all the time, taking the time to step back and appreciate how lovely their spring exhibits are will allow you to forget your troubles for a little while.
Lose Yourself in Art and History
If plants aren’t your thing, take a stroll through any of the museums right here in Oakland. The Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History are free for Pitt students and located right on Forbes, so you don’t have to stray too far from your favorite study spot to walk amongst the dinosaurs or examine your favorite paintings.
Get Out of Oakland
Maybe the finals stress is really getting to you and you need to take more than a few steps back. In that case, take a few hours to catch a movie and treat yo’self to a milkshake from The Milkshake Factory in Southside. Or relax with a cup of tea from Dobra Tea and then walk to Jerry’s Records to browse shelves and shelves of vinyl in Squirrel Hill. If you don’t have a ton of time to spare, then consider taking your work with you off campus and find a cute coffee or tea shop and work there. Just getting away from the finals frenzy for a bit can be refreshing in itself.
Re-fall in Love with Pitt
Remember how you felt the first time you walked through the Cathedral as a freshman? When, for a split second, you truly believed you went to school at Hogwarts and you made it your mission to explore every single nationality room? Take a walk through Cathy again recalling how in awe of it you once were. After studying for hours, you may be repeatedly asking yourself what would possess you to sign up for this insanity. Revisit the nationality rooms, roam the stone hallways, and admire the view from the 36th floor. Remind yourself why you fell in love with Pitt in the first place and this can help you push through.