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How to Stress Out in Style

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Vanderbilt chapter.

So it’s finals time, and you’re losing the motivation to wake up early and look presentable. You put on your go-to leggings and oversized t-shirt, throw up your hair, and go. The excuse is always “I don’t have anyone to impress” or “it’s finals week, everyone looks like this.” But there are some quick and easy things you can do so that you don’t look like a mess even when you feel like one. And as a firm believer in the saying “dress well, test well,” I think that being put together will help you feel more in control of the stress of finals week.

1. Wear makeup even when you think you don’t need to. I know it’s easy to assume that you don’t need it because you’ll just be in the library and nobody will see you, but you’ll feel much more fresh and clean. I’m not saying you need to give yourself 20 minutes to do your make up, but a little mascara and some blush can go a long way!

2. If you’re going to snack a lot, at least choose healthy snacks. When you’re trying to read an entire book in one night, snacking helps to keep you awake. But remember that it all adds up, so maybe get some celery from the Munchie Mart next time.

3. If you’re not getting a lot of sleep, use a cold compress to remove redness around the eyes. Because even if you’re exhausted, you don’t want people to be able to tell by the bags under your eyes.

4. Substitute the over-worn front pocket sorority t-shirts with a trendy baggy sweater every once in a while. They’re just as comfy and it makes it look like you put some effort into picking your outfit. Also they keep you warm, and sometimes the library gets really cold.

5. Dry shampoo is your friend. Of course this isn’t an excuse not to shower at all, but I get that washing and drying your hair everyday can get tedious. Also try learning some new braids if you’re going to put your hair up everyday. That way it looks like you’re just being adventurous and trying something new every day, instead of just not wanting to do your hair.

Stacey Oswald, originally from South Florida, came to Vanderbilt as a member of the class of 2015 and got involved with HerCampus her freshman year. She became assistant editor that year and is now the Campus Correspondent for Vanderbilt HC as a sophomore. Stacey is currently a columnist for Ask Miss A- Nashville and the life section of The Hustler. She's also very involved in her sorority, Kappa Delta, as well as Invisible Children. Outside of school and her extracurriculars, Stacey finds happiness in many sources, the most crucial being exercise and the sun. She loves to attend exercise classes and is an avid runner; she recently completed the Country Music Half Marathon. She also loves Vitamin D, especially when on the beach- though of course, she only soaks up the sun after applying SPF. A few of the things Stacey couldn't live without? Good food (especially from Sweet Cece's, Bricktops, and Samurai Sushi), great books (The Hypnotist's Love Story is a recent favorite), her family back in Florida, her wonderful boyfriend, and all of the great friends she's made at Vanderbilt.