With finals week quickly creeping up on us, it is important to get prepared. Not only am I referring to studying, but to taking the necessary measures to stay healthy during this stressful time. I think it is safe to say that finals week takes a toll on all of us, mentally and physically (and socially). Therefore, it is extremely important to take care of yourself physically, so that you have the energy to mentally prepare for finals ahead. Below, I have listed 5 tips on how to stay healthy during finals week.
1. Drink plenty of water. This is goes for life in general, but it is especially important during finals when we are pushing our bodies mentally and physically by staying up late. Always have a water bottle around so that you can quench you thirst and not have to use it as an excuse to get up and go to the kitchen, only to get distracted for 2 hours. Trust me, I know. I do that all the time.
2. Take your vitamins. This is important so that you don’t end up getting sick during finals from all the lack of sleep. Taking Airborne effervescent tablets or Emergen-C drink mix and spicing up your water is a great way to reduce your chances of getting sick.
3. Keep healthy snack around. We tend to gravitate towards unhealthy snacks and food while studying because they are more convenient. Wanting something to much on while studying is normal, just make sure it’s something that can help you study better! Opt for trail mix, especially energy blends that contain almonds and cranberries or for better junk food alternatives like Pop Chips and even fresh or dried fruit. Makes sure to pack plenty of healthy munchies if you prefer studying on campus so that you can resist the temptation of buying anything from the campus vending machines.
4. Go on walks. Take a 15 minutes study break to go on a walk. Not only will it get your heart pumping but it will also help clear your mind and minimize stress levels.
5. Get some sleep. We have all heard this one and probably ignore it keeping the mindset of “I can sleep over winter break”. Although I personally do cheat my body of sleep when studying, it is important to get as much sleep as we can. Afterall, how are we going to utilize all the information we crammed into our heads if we can’t even function properly?
Hope these tips help, and best of of luck on finals!