It’s that dreaded time of the year again. Taking on finals while also dealing with end-of-semester burnout is not an easy task. The stress that comes with having to meet project deadlines and cram for exams is inevitable and something we all go through. Here are five things I do to relax and calm myself down during finals week.
- Try not to picture any worst-case scenarios
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During times of high stress when I’m cramming, I tend to go down a spiral thinking about all the ways I could mess up the exam. This makes it difficult for me to concentrate and is ultimately a waste of time. Instead, think about all the ways you could ace the exam. What do you know like the back of your hand? What can you manage pretty well? Maybe you are confident about the amount of time you have to complete the exam. While thinking negatively is often out of your control, making it a point to think about the upsides can help alleviate at least some of your burden.
- Get a free hot chocolate from Berk
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As someone with an extreme sweet tooth, chocolatey drinks or desserts instantly boost my optimism! The Berkshire dining hall at UMass is doing a free hot chocolate bar outside the entrance of the commons until the end of finals week! I personally like to add peanut butter chips, marshmallows, and whipped cream to my drink. If you are not a fan of sweet drinks, I recommend drinking anything warm like tea that feels soothing in this chilly weather. Personally, caffeine makes me more anxious so I try to avoid it during finals as much as I can.
- Try not to procrastinate
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As unrealistic as it seems, it is never too late to stop procrastinating. Just because you unintentionally delayed your work by an hour, does not mean you have to delay it until the next day. Whenever things don’t go according to the schedule I’ve created, I lose all motivation to make up for it. Simply forcing myself to do already delayed work is such a task. I realized that it is important to make small mindset changes regarding this problem. The more I told myself to finish something, the better I got at actually finishing it! It will definitely be hard in the beginning, but you will get better at sticking to your schedule. It’s the small steps of progress that count!
- Create Flexible Schedules
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For people who have a hard time with procrastination (me), I strongly recommend making flexible study schedules. I made the mistake of creating rigid schedules where I did not give myself enough time to complete work. This causes frustration and further demotivates from doing anything else. Rather than setting strict time frames to complete a task, I like to divide my work up into days. For example, I have to study three chapters in the next three days. Depending on how busy I am on a given day, I will read the harder chapters on the other days. Make sure to include breaks in your schedule as well!
- Try not to isolate yourself
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I usually tend to go MIA during finals. Anytime I spend away from my laptop or notes feels like a mistake in my head. I think about all the work I could get done if I don’t spend that time with my near and dear ones. But truthfully, I really need the positive energy I get by talking to my friends when I am stressed out. The presence of people you care about, even if for a few minutes, can be amazingly comforting. Don’t be afraid to take some time out of your day to check in with your friends and family.
I hope these tips help relieve even just a bit of your exam anxiety. Every person is different, and not everyone is going to find these tips to be beneficial. That is completely okay and I’m sure we are all more than capable of getting through these last couple of weeks. Good luck with finals!
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