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Finishing Strong

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Portland chapter.

Can you believe that this school year is almost over? I can’t! With dead week upon us and finals close behind, it’s easy throw in the towel and be over the semester! But, you’ve worked so hard this whole year, there is no way you can throw it all away so close to the finish! Here are a few tips to relieve some stress and get your mind set back in study mode so that you can finish off the semester strong!

1.     Take a break– nothing is worse than studying for 5 hours and then feeling like you don’t remember anything! Whether that’s taking a break from the library to walk to the commons to grab a snack or taking a quick stroll back to your room to grab another book, get up and get moving and let your mind rest for a few minutes!

2.     Listen to some music– There are so many great new albums that have just been released that taking a music break is a great way to take a breather from studying! I love The Fray, NEEDTOBREATHE, and even Andy Grammer has a few new songs out! No matter your music choice, there is nothing better than listening to your favorite song to lift your spirits back up!  

3.     Eat a Health Snack– Finals week is not the time to fill up on junk food, it won’t make you feel very good and it’s definitely not good brain food! So fill up on some apples and peanut butter, some carrots and hummus, and lots of water! It will help your concentration and will help boost your energy so that you can power through all your studying!

4.     Meet with a study group– There is nothing better than getting in a little socializing and studying done all at the same time! Make sure you are with a good group that is able to have fun, but also get some studying done! The best way to learn material is to be able to teach it to someone else, so switch up the roles and teach your friends what they need to know while having fun at the same time!

5.     Exercise– There is no better way to relieve stress than getting in some exercising! Whether it’s going on a walk through campus, going on a run through the surrounding neighborhood, or hitting up Howard Hall, anything is better than nothing! It will help you release some pent up studying frustration and is a good way to regroup after a long day of hitting the books!

Overall, make sure you get some sleep and give yourself a break every once in a while! You’ve worked so hard for this long… You can do it! Finish strong and happy studying!

Hi Friends! My name is Sam and I'm a senior Biology major at UP. I'm also the 4th floor RA in Mehling (the best dorm ever)! Here are a few things that I love right now: tea, friends, sunshine, bows, scarves, salted caramel anything, and hand-written letters. I'm so excited to be a member of Her Campus here at UP and can't wait to share new and fun things with everyone!
Hailing from eastern Washington, Julia attends the University of Portland in Oregon, as a Communication Studies major with an emphasis on Journalism. As a magazine and book junkie, Julia reads everything (and anything) she can get her hands on, especially those passionate on young adult culture and entertainment. A woman that gets stir-crazy easily, Julia has been fortunate to have traveled many summers in a row to foreign countries, including a study abroad course in Austria, Germany, and Great Britain. Since a ripe age, she has grown and cultivated her passion and dream of working for a magazine and spreading awareness as well as happiness through the tips of her fingers. Always finding time for herself, Julia can frequently be found quoting movie lines (most frequently Will Ferrell or Vince Vaughn), having a 90's dance party with her roommates, or rereading "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" for the 40th time.