Happy finals week everyone! Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, term exams and papers can surely sneak up on you, stress in tow. The dreadful feeling of losing control over your academia and life can cause some serious harm to your mental health! It’s okay to take a step back after pulling that all-nighter. Here’s a handy list on how to avoid in-class anxiety breakdowns: try out these five methods to relieve your stress!
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Use your senses! (Even if you feel like you’ve lost them.) Locate familiar things around the room and describe their scent, color, and maybe even taste. This especially helps those of us who moved away from their home state for school. Oftentimes it feels like you’re in a different country, so this technique will help you make sense of your surroundings and hopefully comfort you in the process.
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Turn your phone off and read. No, this is not you grandma contacting you through the internet, it’s just a fellow young millennial who carries the burden of the cell phone just as you do. Your phone gives you quite a bit of information all at one time, which can definitely lead you to feel overwhelmed, especially in a time of stress like finals week. Unplug and read something – anything. Read the back of a shampoo bottle, or pick up a cereal box. Focus on the words and reflect on them.
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Create a list of your favorite smells, colors, movies, or songs. Write them down in no particular order, (to avoid making decisions when, let’s face it, that is the last thing you want to do) and continue down the line until you’ve written all you can think of. Continue making lists until it’s the only thing your brain is focused on.
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Cook, clean, or do both! This might not be for everyone, but finding a job to do that doesn’t take a lot of brainpower, and requires just a touch of creativity could very well be your jam. Cleaning up might be satisfying, coming home to a clean kitchen sure is. And cooking involves your hands, putting your body parts to good use (without having to exercise).
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Create your own rhythm and breathe along to it. When anxiety settles in, we often forget to actually breathe. Creating a slow rhythm you can breathe along to will help you focus on the beat and calm your heart rate. This will help you to feel more calm and steady, and allow you to make decisions.
So the next time you feel like you might crash and burn, refer back to these methods and keep your cool – good luck, deep breath, and happy finals week!