This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Ottawa chapter.
It’s that time of the year again; you’re operating on autopilot. Exam season is here and your natural instinct is to load up that Starbucks Gold Card and make sure there’s enough coffee beans to get you through till the very last word on that very last final. But really, hasn’t coffee had enough time in the limelight? This exam season, say goodbye to coffee breathe and embrace teas instead. Below, I’m sharing the 5 teas that will help you get through this exam season:
1) Improve concentration with matcha.
This could be the worst class or the last exam of the semester. Either way, you’re running out of steam. The last minute session has you re-reading the same sentence for the tenth time and somehow, you have a sneaking suspicion that information is slowly leaking out of your brain. Take a quick break and go make yourself a cup of matcha. Higher concentration of caffeine in matcha boosts alertness and the presence of a chemical called L-theanine “exerts a brain-protective effect” which improves memory retention.
2) Reduce exam anxiety with chamomile.
Sleep is essential to better memory functioning so it’s no wonder that Her Campus writers go on and on about the benefits of rest over pulling an all-nighter. But sometimes, anxiety takes over and it’s nearly impossible to catch some Z’s. Before you freak out over the idea of choosing the best answer for that dastardly multiple choice exam tomorrow, take a deep breath and make a cup of chamomile tea. While not yet scientifically proven to cure insomnia, preliminary studies indicate that taking chamomile has an anti-anxiety effect, which will contribute to having better sleep.
3) Be cramp-free with ginger.
There are many “The Worsts” during exam season, but the untimely arrival of Mother Nature’s monthly gift trumps them all. Studying? Readings? Being human? HA! While you’re busy cursing your terrible luck, grab a cup of ginger tea. Seriously, water and ginger is all you need to reduce the pain and the length of cramps.
4) Cure a sore throat with honey, lemon and ginger.
The other “Worst” during this chilly time of the year? Catching a cold. #NoExplanationsNeeded. Avoid coffee or caffeinated teas since they’re dehydrating. Instead, cuddle up with a warm cup of tea with a slice of ginger and lemon drizzled with honey— the honey will sooth your sore throat while the magical properties of ginger will fight against congestion and coughs.
5) Keep hope alive with eggnog (tea).
Exam season sucks but the holidays are just around the corner! Keep that spark of hope alive with some festive eggnog tea (spiking optional) and remember that in a few days, this torture will be over…until next year. Yay.
Coffee or tea, just remember:
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