Sweatpants and sweatshirts, dazed and zombie-like expressions, and coffee cups in both hands has become the uniform at Colby. Yep, finals are in full swing. After pulling multiple all-nighters and writing paper after paper, your body, physically and mentally, can really take a beating. Here are ten easy ways to de-stress during the most chaotic time of year:
1. Yoga/Working out.
It’s one of the most effective and most studied forms of stress reduction is working out. Although you may not be able to clear out an hour to hit up the gym, or you can’t bear to fight the below-freezing temperatures, try doing some quick cardio movements or yoga in your dorm room. It may be cramped, but after some quick pushups, squats, and jumping jacks, you’ll feel so much better and ready to tackle that next problem set.
2. Sex
Since it’s a form of working out, it has the same level of stress-reduction as running on the treadmill. This might not be a plausible way of de-stressing for everyone, but if you have a good hook-up relationship with someone, try it!
3. Singing Christmas Carols
‘Tis the season to sing. Blasting “Frosty the Snowman” or “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and singing along surely will brighten not only your Christmas spirit, but your spirit in general. For even more fun, sing-a-long with a friend; it’ll be less awkward. Sometimes all you need is a good off-key rendition of Michael Bublé.
4. Cookies (eat your anxiety away)
This might not be the best advice, but sometimes it really does work. If you know that you’re going to have a really long night in the library, load up on cookies and brownies from the dining hall. Bring them all with you to the library or whatever building you’re studying in. One of the best study breaks is just eating a sweet piece of chocolate.
5. Bake
Use your dorm’s kitchen! Keep it simple with chocolate chip or sugar cookies, nothing you can mess up easily. Not only will you be more relaxed just by making them, but afterwards you’ll have tons of treats you can either give out to your friends and use them as motivation to finish another paragraph before you take another bite. Maybe you’ll even make some to rival the baked goods that come in care packages.
6. Doodle, knit, or play with a stress ball
One very effective way to de-stress is to do some sort of mindless motor movement. For example draw in a coloring book, or cover a page of your notebook in doodles. This activates your brain while simultaneously relaxing you. Its effect is similar to meditation, but for those of us who can’t sit still thinking about nothing for hours. Other than coloring in a coloring book or doodling you can try something like knitting, making a bracelet, playing with a stress ball or stress putty, throwing a ball around with a friend, or doing your nails. These may seem like ways to procrastinate, but if they’re relaxing to you, then they really are helping you more than just checking Yik Yak over and over.
7. The Opposite of a Nap
Instead of taking a power nap, which can be quite useful during finals if you know how to wield its power, try doing something restful other than sleeping. Read a book, but only if you haven’t been looking at a screen or have been reading a lot for that research paper you started researching this morning. If your eyes need a break, try listening to audiobooks or a podcast.
8. FaceTime your parents/friends at home
Now this does depend on your parents and friends. Time zones are tricky and sometimes your friends and family can stress you out more than you thought. In order to avoid any school-related stress, tell them at the beginning of the call that you don’t want to talk about finals or any academic thing at all. Be stubborn about this. The reason why you’re calling is to make yourself feel better (and to catch up with them of course).
9.Watch a Disney or Christmas movie
Sometimes all you need is a distraction. This is better than watching a show on Netflix, because it gives you a definite stop. There is no next episode or season. Only an hour and a half of pure escapist joy, then back to work. Pick your favorite Christmas movie, nothing too emotional, but definitely something engaging, like Tangled, or Elf.
10. Ask for Help
If you are feeling overwhelmed, reach out to a friend, or even make an appointment with a counselor at the health center. Its number is (207) 859 – 4460.