Ahh…it’s the final stretch of the semester…Everything is catching up with us. We’re tired, we’re stressed, and we’re ready for a break. Group projects are frustrating, finals are supposed to be cumulative (um…help), and a lot of us can’t even get going after relaxing for Thanksgiving break. The end of the semester is incredibly stressful, the exhaustion from all nighters is overwhelming, and sicknesses are passed between people faster than the peppermint schapps at holiday parties. We’re burning the candle at both ends, and we need to take a step back and take care of ourselves, and maybe these seven steps can help!!
1. Drink green tea!! One cup of green tea (or 8 in my case) has serious health benefits. The antioxidents naturally found in green tea help speed up your metabolism, and help the blood flow to your brain. Research also shows that the increased blood flow to your brain, when drinking green tea, goes to the active-memory part of the brain. And we can all use a little help in the memory area of our brains, especially during those cumulative finals (again I say..UH HELP)
2. Take the stairs! It’s cold outside anyway, you might as well warm that body of yours up while burning some calories and avoiding the elevator. You’ll feel better about the choice to avoid laziness, and going that little extra distance is sure to make you feel good about yourself.
3. Take a nap! Reward yourself from walking up all those stairs to your room, and indulge in a 30 minute nap. Sleep is one of the most important ways to take care of yourself, and especially during finals, it should not be taken for granted! Even if that 30 minutes unintentionally turns into 2 hours, your body will be thanking you! So make a date with the sandman, and catch those zzz’s!
4. Eat soup! Most soups are deliciously flavorful and nutrious, too! Many soups are full of vegetables and meat that provides you with necessary vitamins and other things, like protein! Soup can also be filling and leave you satisfied, but not stuffed and stationary. If you need a quick fill-me-up, grab a cup of soup and slurp that up!
5. Drink some ice water! Ice water is cold (obviously, hence the “ice” in its label), and it’ll be sure to wake you up. Not only will it keep you functioning, but you’ll burn a few extra calories because your body has to work a little harder to keep your body at the right temperature. If that doesn’t convince you, chomping on ice is always a great stress reliever.
6. Work out! Okay…try and work out. I recognize it’s hard, and the gym might be far away. But staying physically active is really important. Increasing blood flow to your body will make you feel less restless, and all that built up stress in your body can have a healthy escape route. If nothing else, try and stretch before bed. It’ll give you time to wind down from the day, and make your body feel great before bed.
7. Eat chocolate! Some say that you should get rid of sweets…I say we need to keep our sanity, and therefore, let them eat cake!! Almost everything about the final weeks of the semester is stressful, but it’s nothing a little treat like a cookie, some chocolate, or a good hoho can’t fix! Just try and balance out the sugar with some vegetables, so you don’t overload your body with too much sugar.
Best of luck finishing the semester, collegiettes, you’re going to do wonderfully! But if you need a little help, maybe check out these 7 tips to make the final stretch a little easier for you!