As we enter the dreadful finals season, you may be feeling one (or many) of the following emotions: anxiety, stress, anger, or excitement. But if you’re like me, you probably feel all of these at once, causing us to get overwhelmed and lost in the sauce. If you’re feeling overwhelmed during finals week because of the many papers, exams and holiday stress, just know that you’re not alone. I was once in a position where the thought of finals season had me shook to my core.
But recently, I found a solution to make this strenuous week go as smoothly as possible. This solution is simply to relax and take my time. High stakes times as such can do so much damage to your body and mind so I realized that relaxing or “chilling” through finals is the best option for me.
The first thing I do is give myself a “cut off time” when studying. Similarly to bedtime, I give myself until a certain time to do work and then I unplug and finish tomorrow. Rest is something that I value, therefore I knew it would be difficult for me to perform as best as I can if I stay up late in front of a screen. All-nighters are definitely not for me.
The next thing I do is listen to my body. When you’re preparing for exams it’s so easy to neglect basic human needs like eating or resting because you just want to get work done. So if I’m in the middle of working on a paper and I feel hungry, I stop and make sure that I eat something before continuing because health comes first.
This one can be controversial to some but the last thing I do is continue to make time for leisure activities during finals week. Some people who eat, sleep and breathe finals may disagree with me but making time for things I like to do allows me to disconnect from the stresses that come with exams. For instance, I love to read. But, it can get difficult at times to want to sit in bed and read all day when I know I have to study. So, one thing I’ve done is devote a little bit of time everyday to my hobbies such as reading so I’m not too consumed with my school work. It has kept me happy and more grounded during this time.
Let’s be real—this wasn’t easy at first. Seeing my peers on “go mode” during finals week made me feel like I wasn’t doing enough to prepare for finals. But, the one thing that made my methods successful was to trust myself. And trust me, it works. By taking those deep calm breaths and taking breaks when I can allow me to approach my papers and exams with a calm open mind. Thus, allowing me to excel on my final marks. So, if you can, I advise you to try taking finals a bit easier this semester. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
Good luck to everyone this finals week! Take breaks when needed and do your best!