Every college student knows how stressful finals week can be! You spend hours in the library on a daily basis, drink more coffee than your body can handle, and feel like you’re more stressed out than you’ve ever been. Sometimes you feel like you’re not getting anywhere with studying and assignments, but remember that finals week is only temporary and the only thing standing between you and a month-long college break! But it’s important to keep your body and mind healthy amidst all the craziness, so here are some tips on how to reduce your stress during finals week:
Stay organized and on-track
During the craziness of finals week, it’s easy to get caught up in all of your work and potentially miss an assignment. One of the most useful things you can do for yourself to keep on track is to make a list or chart of everything you have to get done. Write down a list of every assignment, project or test you have coming up and put the date next to it. It might seem overwhelming at first, but you can cross things off as you accomplish them and see your workload shrink! Staying neat and organized in your assignments can make you feel more in control.
Use the library as a resource
Many students don’t know this, but during finals week, Siena’s Standish library has extended hours to accommodate students! Check the Daily Digest during finals for information on extended hours. If the hours still aren’t late enough, make use of the 24-hour computer lab attached to the library. The library has study rooms on the first and second floor that you can reserve via the library website, so you and your friends can be guaranteed a study spot. The circulation desk student workers are also available for any of your lib-related questions, like finding a book in the stacks or checking out a reserved textbook. When you’re cranking out those final papers, visit the resource librarian or Writing Center to help enhance your writing! Siena’s library is full of useful resources to help reduce your stress during finals.
Put some time aside for self-care
Even though you have three research papers due and four exams during the week, taking care of yourself is just as important as academics. Put on a face mask and watch your favorite Netflix show. Do some yoga. Take a hot shower. Eat a bowl of ice cream. Read your favorite book. Whatever helps you keep your cool during finals week, it’s important to put time aside for yourself! A healthy, stress-free brain is important while you’re finishing up the semester.
Don’t wait until the last minute to start on assignments
This goes without saying, but sometimes you need to hear it! Manage your time by planning ahead, possibly even creating a schedule for when you’ll work on your assignments. Finals usually make up a decent portion of your grade for the class, so leaving essays and projects until the last minute won’t help you!
Talk to your professors
Use your professors as a resource! They’ve been through finals week before and understand it’s a stressful time of year. If you have questions about final projects or exams, it’s best to go directly to the person who will be grading your final. Don’t wait until the due date or the hour before the test to ask questions! They have office hours for a reason and most professors are also willing to email you help if you need it.
Make a finals playlist to keep you going
For me, music is an effective motivator for getting work done or just keeping my mind focused. Spotify has pre-made studying playlists, so put in your headphones and listen to whatever keeps you motivated! Some people focus better with instrumental music, like classical or jazz, but others like more upbeat, lyrical songs while they’re studying or writing. Or you can queue up your favorite songs to keep you going – whatever works best to keep you focused!
Don’t let coffee rule your diet
An important part of reducing your stress can depend on your diet and keeping your body healthy. If you’re drinking caramel macchiatos six times a day and not drinking any water, you’ll probably get dehydrated and even more stressed! Eating french fries from Casey’s for every meal probably won’t have you feeling too great, either. Sometimes students become so occupied that they forget to eat regularly, so try packing yourself some snacks to take to the library or plan breaks in your studying to eat a meal. Try to make some healthy choices during finals week to keep your body feeling good!
Talk to someone if you’re feeling overwhelmed
Your family and friends are there for you! Take some time to call a parent, family member or friend from home. You don’t even need to talk about how much you have going on – sometimes taking your mind off your workload can be best.
Remember: you’re not alone!
Anyone who has graduated from college had to go through finals at one point or another! And everyone cramming in the library on Reading Day is in the same boat as you. As stressful as it might seem, finals don’t last forever and they aren’t the end-all of your college grades. If everyone else can do it, so can you!