Dead Week, Finals Week, project deadlines, and more are quickly approaching us. As the semester comes to a close, it’s important to prioritize your mental health and not get too stressed by your to-do list. As a Senior, I’ve learned a few different things about balancing my academics and life. Here are a few ways I like to manage my stress during, quite frankly, the busiest time of the year.
One of the most important things to do, especially during Dead Week, is to create a schedule for yourself that allows you to take breaks and also prioritize socializing or even just resting. I like to go to the libraries in the mornings, take a break in the middle of the day for lunch, and then go back maybe early afternoon until dinner time. At night, I like to give myself a break and maybe go out to dinner with my friends or watch a movie. I highly recommend creating a schedule as it always makes me feel productive and helps me manage my time well.
Another thing I’d recommend is getting yourself a sweet treat! I’m a big advocate for sweet treats because, sometimes, even the smallest things, like getting yourself a cookie or a coffee, can really help you stay positive. Some places I like to go are Insomnia (I highly recommend their Chocolate Chunk cookie), Peet’s (They have a great Chai Latte), Yogurt Park or even Cream, and Starbucks. Being from Washington, Starbucks is a place we go often. As a lover of their holiday menu, I tend to frequent there when I’m feeling down. Sweet treats are a crucial part of surviving finals.
Listening to good music is another key to a successful Finals Week. Finding music that can really help you lock in, but also make you excited about studying, is something I find super helpful. I really like movie scores as I get distracted by music with words. Movie scores sort of bring peace to me as I truly love movies, so being able to hear the sounds that made the stories that mean so much to me come to life always helps me stay calm. During the winter season, I really like to listen to my favorite holiday movie scores, such as Elf, Polar Express, The Family Man, Home Alone, Prancer, and The Nutcracker. Being able to listen to these scores brings me so much joy while I’m studying, making it feel less gruelling to stare at a computer screen for so long.
Lastly, finding a good show or movie to watch during these last hard weeks is always a good way to wind down. Whether you want to do work while watching or use it as your break time, having something to distract yourself from your stress is always useful. I like to watch my comfort shows like Gilmore Girls or even comfort movies like Because of Winn-Dixie. I highly suggest watching something to calm your brain down in the midst of chaos.
These are just some ways I try to maintain a solid mental state during the stress of finals week, but I hope you can find one of them helpful! I believe in you, you can handle these weeks! Good luck with your finals, and do your best to balance your time with studying and fun activities!