The end of the semester is approaching at Ambrose, and with it comes excess stress for collegiettes™. It is common on college campuses that finals week is synonymous with illness, as students become overloaded with schoolwork.
How can this stress-sickness cycle be avoided?
The main prevention is to make sure collegiettes™ are taking care of themselves. From a night in to a day out with friends, there are many ways to pamper yourself to make sure you survive these last two weeks of the semester.
For the more introverted students on campus, the weather is quite conducive to staying indoors and relaxing.
Here is a list of ways collegiettes™ can de-stress without even leaving their dorm.
1. Sleep. There is probably no better way to de-stress and dominate those finals than getting plenty of sleep. Rather than cramming all night, be sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep before an exam. USA Today reported a study that showed evidence that academic performance is actually worse when college students study rather than sleep all night. Although many students believe all-nighters are just a way of life in college, they can be avoided by studying throughout the day and during little breaks between other responsibilities.
2. Curl up on the couch with a good book or movie. After studying all day rather than all night, taking a break is important. Lucky for collegiettes™, winter is the perfect time to stay warm indoors. The Ambrose library has a wide selection of classic movies people don’t mind watching multiple times, along with many some have never even heard of from various genres. If reading a book is preferable, the library has also been expanding the leisure reading section. However, many great new titles have been released in stores recently. Check out The Hunger Games, which will be released as a film next spring, or Sisterhood Everlasting, the end of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series.
3. Exercise. Although this may require leaving the comfort of the dorm room, many residence halls at Ambrose have cardio pods available for all students. Most have at least a treadmill and an elliptical. Additionally, Lee Lohman has many new weight machines. If time is of the essence, check out “Your Weekly Workout with Rachel and Sarah” right here on Her Campus St. Ambrose (http://www.hercampus.com/school/sau/your-weekly-workout-sarah-and-rachel…). This blog provides many ideas that can be done in a bedroom or living room. Exercise can be a major stress reliever for many people because of the endorphins released. Even those who are not regular visitors to the cardio pod can reap these de-stressing benefits of working out.
However, sometimes just getting out of the building can help take a load off the minds of collegiettes™. There are many options throughout the Davenport and Ambrose communities that students can participate in for an hour or two to get their minds off school.
4. Pamper yourself. Sometimes, just getting a haircut or a manicure and pedicure can be enough to lift spirits under pressure. If money is an issue, as it is for most collegiettes™, check out the Davenport Academy Paul Mitchell Partner School. Haircuts are available here for as low as $12. If nail care is what you are looking for, Afterimage, The Look. Inc. Salon and Day Spa in Davenport offers student discounts often. They offer manicures for as low as $17.
5. Find an Ugly Sweater party. It seems these parties never go out of style. Especially now during the holiday season, ugly sweater parties will be popping up all over campus. A little bit of chatting with friends will probably provide the night out that is needed during these stressful weeks. Not only are they entertaining, but they are also affordable. A trip to Salvation Army in Davenport can produce a great ugly sweater for only a few dollars.
6. Go see a movie. Ambrose students are lucky enough to have Rave Motion Pictures 53 right here in Davenport. If you can’t afford a break for the whole night to go out, consider taking just a couple hours to go see a new movie. Getting wrapped up in a movie can be a great stress reliever because it takes students’ minds off of real life for just a short time. Go see Breaking Dawn, The Muppets, or J. Edgar for an entertaining distraction.
Although this may seem like crunch time, with not a moment to waste, collegiettes™ should remember how important it is to take care of themselves. Becoming too stressed by cramming and going into study-overload can actually be counterproductive. Whether all you need is an hour or two relaxing in the dorms or a little time out and about, be sure you take that time for yourself. Life balance is important; don’t ignore your own needs, especially when the pressures of school become overwhelming.