Finals season is a stressful time. Having four years of undergrad under my belt, I feel as though I’ve developed several techniques that work for me when it comes to stress management.
1. Guided meditation
Before this year, I was someone who said that meditation would never work for me because my brain runs a mile a minute. However, I recently started to do quick 10-minute guided meditations from Youtube, and I fell in love with the practice! While this strategy may not be for everyone, I would highly suggest giving it a chance.
2. Reading/Listening to a book
I love reading. During the semester it can be tricky because after reading 200 pages of a textbook, the last thing I really want to do before bed is read some more. This is where audiobooks come in! I love audiobooks because I can just put them on at night and listen while I lie in bed. If you have a library card, you should check out their websites to see what e-reader/app they offer (i.e. Guelph Public Library has a cloud library). These apps allow you to use your library card to check out books and audiobooks free of charge on your device.
3. Put away all work an hour before bed
I am guilty of not always following this one, but I find putting away all my schoolwork an hour before I want to go to bed really helps me manage my stress during finals. In this hour I do anything from watching TV or whipping up a snack!
4. Virtual fitness classes
I started doing virtual fitness classes with my roommate at the beginning of the pandemic and they are super fun! Exercise is a great way for relieving stress and doing it with a friend only adds to the fun.