The last month of the semester is always the most stressful, oftentimes leaving you feeling like you’re screaming into a void that even your own ears can’t hear. Everything has officially piled to its peak, and the only way to clear the top of the mountain is by circling the last answer on the exam.
The time leading up to finals is the hardest: professors cramming the last few chapters, looking back on the first chapter that feels like eons ago, and studying everything in between. It’s important to remember to take care of yourself during these times, and self-care looks different to everyone, so don’t worry about a “right” or “wrong” way.
With finals week just around the corner (two weeks away), let’s look at some good ideas you might take up for your next self-care day.
1. Spa Night
The best form of self-care anyone can give themselves is spa treatment. And there’s no need to spend the big bucks on an actual spa; the greatest care can be given in the comfort of your own home (or dorm).
All it takes is a quick trip to the dollar store; now, these are by no means the best products, but they do the trick. The dollar store has so many options when it comes to face masks, nail polish, literally anything you could think of needing or wanting, for only a few dollars.
The best spa day obviously happens with your girlfriends. Pick up your besties, pick out your supplies, put on some music, and put on those masks. Take that time to be present and center yourself, don’t let coursework fill your brain, only the joy of this moment can get through its gates.
2. Night Out
This is the complete opposite of what you may think you should be doing, but a night out is probably a close second with spa night when it comes to finals stress distractions. This does not by any means say go out the night before your final because you probably should never do that; however, only you know yourself best to make that decision.
After your spa day, you’re most likely feeling nice and refreshed, which means your confidence is up and you want to keep that confidence rolling. Take two to three hours after your spa treatment to work on some studying, then get back to feeling yourself by getting ready and feeling HOT.
There’s no greater confidence booster than a girl’s night on the town dressed to impress. With your besties by your side, hyping you up, the void can’t trap you within its realm.
3. Crafting
Switching your mind to something that is more enjoyable yet still productive is another way to keep your mind sharp without burning out. There are so many simple crafts you can do that don’t take much effort to make, but still give you that rush of completing a project.
When it comes to crafting, the options of what to do are endless. You can make decorations for your dorm, paint matching glasses with your roommates, or even go as far as sewing yourself a new outfit if you know how to do so.
It doesn’t matter what you choose to create; just try to create something. It’s so beneficial to physically see and hold the outcome of your effort.
4. Phone Home
A simple phone call home to your mom, dad, or sibling really can fix everything. The sound of a familiar voice you’ve known your whole life washes every ounce of stress away.
The comfort of familiarity can be like a reboot to your system. When a computer begins having issues running, restarting it to its default settings gives it a fresh chance to do what it’s supposed to, but right. The brain works in a similar network to a computer, and family is the ultimate restart button to refreshing it to run the way it’s intended.
It doesn’t take much time to do this either. A phone call as short as two seconds just to say “I love and miss you” is all you may need, or it can take hours of your time catching up on whatever you choose to share.
5. Movie Marathon
A night in with your favorite genre or film on the screen and a bowl of popcorn in your lap can be the mind-numbing activity you need to take a breath from everything. Rewatching something you already know gives you a good sense of the future, as if you can see into it because you already know what’s going to happen in the end.
That good feeling you get watching something you already love brings on the idea that your life will turn out like that. Movies typically always have a happy ending, so taking on the perspective that finals are the climax of your own personal movie is a confidence booster in getting through them.
No one can tell you how to spend your time leading up to finals. This period is about you and how you work to make it through the stress. Just because someone may escape their void through one exit, doesn’t mean it’s the right one for you.