Obviously, finals are some of the most stressful times college students face every semester. It’s easy to let yourself become overwhelmed when you’re trying to juggle all of your classes. Whether it’s final papers, big end of semester projects, or a huge final looming over your head, it can all really begin to weigh you down.
Mental health is just as important if not more so than your GPA. We all need that reminder sometimes. Sure, grades are important, but you have to take care of yourself, too. Here are a few strategies to help you make it through finals. These tips will hopefully help you alleviate a little stress and help you take care of your mental health!
1. Take a Study Break
This one might surprise you, but sometimes, a break is the best thing you can do for your brain. When you are constantly overwhelming yourself with old and new information for your classes, it’s easy to feel lost and stressed out. Carve out an hour for yourself to sit back and relax, but make sure you’re being responsible, too. Use this break to do something that makes you happy, whether it’s doing a face mask or watching New Girl with your friends! Practice some self-care, and then when you’re feeling better, you’ll be much more motivated to do some studying!
2. Go to the Gym
I know, personally, going to the gym is something that always makes me feel so much better, especially when I feel like my mental health is feeling low. The gym is great for feel re-energized and letting your brain focus on something else for a while. Working out also gives you lots of endorphins, which will definitely make you feel better! You could totally use this as one of your study breaks.
3. Make Sure You’re Eating Well
I know that for me, a large part of my mental health relies on my physical health. If you aren’t feeling good, look at what you’re putting into your body. If you notice that you’ve been using Hungry Buffs or Uber Eats for every meal, that might have something to do with why you aren’t feeling so great. Try to eat some fresh foods like fruits and veggies and drink some more water. It’s amazing how much better you feel when you listen to your body!
4. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is so integral to feeling good, especially for college students! If you find that you’re sleeping less than 7 hours a night, that’s seriously problematic. College students should be getting minimally 7 hours every night. (Crazy right?!) If that doesn’t sound like you, look at what your sleep schedule looks like. If you’re not going to bed until 3 AM and you have to get up every day at 8 AM or 9 AM, you need more sleep! We’re all super busy, but sleep is so necessary to doing well in school. Don’t keep yourself up cramming all night, it’ll honestly make you feel much worse. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, drink some decaffeinated tea or take some melatonin.
5. Talk to Your Friends & Family
Even though finals season is busy, your friends and family will always be there for you. If you feel like you’re so overwhelmed that you can’t get things done or it’s hard to focus on anything, talk to your friends. It’s so helpful to be able to get whatever is troubling you off your mind. You’re friends and family only want what’s best for you, so don’t be afraid to talk to them if you feel like your mental health has not been so hot lately. These are the people who love you the most in the world, so don’t hesitate to tell them about your problems. They want to help if they can.
6. Seek Professional Help
If you’re feeling lonely, depressed, or anxious to a level where you are constantly feeling bad, please go seek out a professional who can really help you. We are super lucky at CU to have CAPS (Counseling and Psychiatric Services). You get at least six free visits and they offer walk-in appointments as well as mental health screenings. If you need more help, they offer plans that are often compatible with your insurance plan! The people at CAPS are able to help students with a variety of mental health issues, ranging from depression, anxiety, body image, and more. If you’re worried about yourself or maybe even one of your close friends, it might be a good idea to take a visit to CAPS. You can find all their information → here. They’re located in the C4C in Suite N352, and they have a psychiatric office on the 3rd floor of the Wardenburg Health Center.
Mental health is not something that should ever be taken lightly, and you deserve to feel your best. (Especially during finals!) While some of these tips might seem small, in the long run they can really help. We should always listen to our bodies and give ourselves love and care, just in the same way we would do for our close friends or family! Show yourself some self-love and focus on what you need to do your best during finals (and all year round!).