Pulling all-nighters, consuming copious amounts of caffeine to compensate, stressing out more than you actually study, and cramming minutes before your exam, heart racing as you make it just seconds before the proctor shuts the door. If this feels familiar, it doesn’t have to.
According to the 2015 National College Health Assessment, stress and anxiety are two of the most impactful factors affecting academic performance. If this is the case, why do so many high-achieving college students view exhaustion as proof of effort?
As someone who lives with a chronic health condition, I’ve learned that stress is not just detrimental to my academic performance, but something to view as non-negotiable if I want to maintain my health and avoid flare-ups. While I don’t always get it right, finals have helped me become more aware of the importance of managing my stress, energy, and health. Here are a few strategies that have transformed my academic approach:
Nutrition & Nourishment:
One of the most overlooked yet critical components of exam performance is balanced meals. After hours in the library and far too much screen time, it may feel tempting to skip the cold walk to the dining hall, rely on processed snacks, or convince yourself to keep pushing through without eating. The truth is that this often works against you.
As Brain Balance explains, “If you aren’t getting good nutrition out of the foods you are eating, your brain isn’t going to get the nutrition it really needs to think and function at its best.” A balance of healthy sugars, omega-3s, antioxidants, protein, and adequate hydration can positively impact cognitive capacity, especially during moments of extreme stress.
Diversify the Way You Study:
Reviewing the same document for hours at a time often leads to less-than-ideal returns. Monotony eventually creates mental blocks, making it even harder to stay engaged with or retain the material. Switching methods, whether that means color-coding notes, creating visual mind maps, or listening to your notes audibly, can break through that block.
I’ve found that text-to-speech tools like Speechify have been extremely helpful in absorbing the material (especially for humanities courses). I love that you can listen on the go. Oftentimes, I’ll listen to my notes while going on a walk or folding laundry. Diversifying inputs by absorbing material through different modes helps achieve the best outcome. After all, not all the best learning is done at a desk or inside a library on a beautiful day.
Perspective:
Stakes can feel high during finals season. In reality, most of us will not recall scoring a few points lower on a final exam years from now. If it means sacrificing your physical or mental health, those five points are not worth it.
Ironically, I’m writing this article on a Sunday evening as my own version of a “study break,” with an exam less than 24 hours from now. When I step away, whether to take a short walk, a nap, or a mental break, instead of pushing through, I am far more productive when I return.
Breaks don’t need to be productive to be valuable. Allowing yourself genuine rest is usually what helps you focus best.
As finals inch closer, I hope this article helps you remember that academic performance and personal well-being are not mutually exclusive. Approaching finals with balance and a bigger picture perspective allows you to perform with less anxiety and more confidence, not only in school, but in life after.
In the meantime, I should probably get back to studying.