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Start de-stressing BEFORE finals week
It is important to start de-stressing before finals week because I wouldn’t really make sense to de-stress during finals week when you have a lot of work to do. I recommend starting before to do activities that help you de-stress so that by the time finals week comes, you’re not sitting in the library or your room thinking it’s a good idea to go shopping at the mall when you have an 11 am final the next day.
2. Pamper yourself
Do a face mask while you type your Anthropology final paper. Paint your nails while you study for your Physics final. Wash your hair before your Nursing performance evaluation. Feeling good about yourself helps you to do well on your test and it is a positive distraction. Green, orange and blue all help with learning, so it might be a good idea to try it! You may remember the answer to that question while looking at your nails! Linked below are some nail gifts you could get yourself and face masks that help with stress.
Face masks:
https://blog.gradeslam.org/5-diy-face-masks-to-help-reduce-stress/
Nail Polishes:
https://www.ulta.com/nail-gifts?N=27df
3. Mediation, gym, and Yoga
Working out, meditating and practicing yoga are great ways to help you relax and even help your concentration. They produce endorphins which are natural “painkillers”. Practice some yoga poses while your friends are quizzing you. Go to the gym and run on the treadmill while studying for your test (no one is likely to be there because they’re studying for finals!) Deep breathing exercises also help you to keep a clear mind and you can even do them while taking your finals if you have difficulty taking tests. I linked below some yoga poses for stress relief and deep breathing exercises.
Yoga Poses for Stress:
https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/yoga-for-inner-peace-stress-relief-daily-practice-challenge
Deep Breathing Exercises:
https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/uz2255
4. Eat right
Many people don’t know that how you eat affects your immunity, and during finals week our immune systems are already compromised from stress. This makes it easier for us to get sick, and the only thing worse than finals is finals and being sick. Drink some smoothies, eat a salad from Bistro or La Bottega. Drink plenty of water. Trust me ordering Dominos or Chinese food to the library at 12 am might seem like a good idea at first but when your pimple joins the finals study group, you’ll realize that wasn’t the best idea. I linked below some natural smoothies that will help you stay energized.
Smoothies:
https://www.sipsutra.com/blogs/superfood-benefits/10-energizing-smoothie-recipes
5. Listen to music
We all know that music is the “key to the soul”, but it also might be the key to your brain. We’ve all got into our car on a day that was just the WORST and cranked the music up and forgot about our problems. Listening to relaxing ambient sounds like rainforests waterfalls and jungles, help you to feel like it’s not 1 am in the library. It’s better to listen to music at a lower volume than really loudly because then it can become a distraction. Create a playlist and keep it short so that when it ends you can take a short break! Below are some websites where you can listen to white noise, Lo-fi hip-hop and ambient music
Lo-fi hip-hop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHW1oY26kxQ
Ambient Music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0svuurLibQ
White Noise:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMfPqeZjc2c
https://mynoise.net/NoiseMachines/waterfallNoiseGenerator.php
6. Get enough sleep
We all know sleep is very important, so pulling those all-nighters is not a great idea. Sleep deprivation affects your memory, judgment, and mood. So, pulling those all-nighters is actually working against you. You need to sleep to prevent your brain from burning out. You’re less likely to oversleep and miss your test if you have been well-rested all week. You are more likely to remember what you were studying before bed when you get enough sleep. And of course, we know that sleep deprivation can affect your driving for all the commuters. If you have trouble falling asleep it is probably caused by stress, and I will link below some ways to fall asleep. Out of all the ways to de-stress during finals, I recommend this one the most because I feel that is the most important, you can be stressed when you’re asleep!
Ways to fall asleep:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322928.php
Don’t Panic! Don’t lose hope! Stay organized! You made it this far you can absolutely go farther and before you know it will be time for winter break!