Papers, final projects, and exams galore have all of us wound up for the next few weeks. To avoid getting so stressed that you end up looking like the Hunchback of Mugar Library, check out these great ways to relax during this busy season.
1. Bake holiday treats. If you are lucky enough to have access to a kitchen, this is for you! Break out those muffin tins or cookie sheets and whip up something delicious for you and your friends to enjoy. Home-baked goods during a study party truly take it to the next level, plus, you can work all of your stress into rolling out that cookie dough. Don’t have a kitchen? Check out these no-bake Wreath cookies for a snack that you can make right in your microwave!
2. Work out. Yes, this is a standard way to relieve stress, but it actually works! I know that I go stir-crazy if I spend all day confined to Mugar, so I always try and break up the day by going to FitRec. If you’re not up to your usual routine, try a yoga class at Sweat and Soul Yoga or bundle up and take a walk along the Esplanade. Getting your mind off studying, even if it’s just for a little while, will clear your head and make hitting the books a little easier. Plus, if you took my first baking tip to heart, you will have to work off those holiday treats sometime! However, don’t overdo it-you don’t want to fall asleep over your textbooks later.
3. Watch funny YouTube videos or a quick funny show, like Modern Family. “Sneezing Panda” anyone? Ridiculous videos keep you from crying over that 200 pages of reading you have ahead, and remind you that yes, there are people who are crazier than that history professor who assigned you the reading in the first place.
4. Hang out with friends. As long you aren’t commiserating about all your finals, this is a great way to get out of the library or room and decompress. Rehash your weekends over a meal in the dining hall or the GSU and feel the stress melt away. Bonus points if your friends are in completely different classes or have various majors. There’s nothing like learning about how your best friend dissected a shark last week to make you grateful for your Communication Theory final.
5. Get off campus. Heading into Boston, even if it’s only for an hour or two, can remind you that there will be life after finals. Check out the pretty lights on Newbury Street, grab a treat from Georgetown Cupcake, and head into the Prudential Center to see some beautiful holiday decorations. Watch the people go by, and make up stories about them—who is that woman buying that tie for? What is that college student getting for his girlfriend? Make your ideas as far-fetched as possible. If Back Bay’s not your thing, check out the quaint streets of Brookline or head into Allston for a cheap meal.
These are just a few tips to help you relax during the most stressful part of college. However, as you sit surrounded by textbooks and coffee cups, remind yourself that winter break is just around the corner.