WARNING: If you want to avoid procrastination at all costs (which is pretty much impossible) then read this post at your own risk!! :)
It’s finals week here at UCLA and oh yeah, it gets stressful! It’s definitely too easy to crash and burn yourself out by studying. Here are some tips and advice to “de-stress” your exam week and to avoid that academic burnout.
1. Take a breather
Take a study break and go out and enjoy nature. Soak up some vitamin D! It’ll only benefit your health more. Bring a blanket out in the grass and go lay down, but don’t fall asleep, because you might get awkward sunburns.
2. Go shopping
I know, this sounds like horrible advice, especially to your wallet and your bank account. But trust me, it’ll take your mind off of those hard math problems that you just can’t seem to solve or stressing about those hard math problems that you just can’t seem to solve. A little retail therapy will give your mind a break and you’ll be fresh and recharged when you get back to work! Plus, reward yourself for all your hard work!
3. Browse the interwebz
One of my favorite things to do as a study break or to pass time easily is to browse the internet. You can find that my laptop will always have a billion tabs open and Spotify blasting through its speakers. There are many websites that will “de-stress” you and still mentally stimulate you. Websites such as Buzzfeed (www.buzzfeed.com) and Thought Catalog (www.thoughtcatalog.com) provide interesting reading material during study breaks! And of course, there’s Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc. etc. Just be sure to watch how much time you spend as time can go by SO quickly.
4. Go for a run!
Go for a run or work out! Many studies have shown that working out and exercising have many benefits in terms of retaining information and reducing stress. (We can all recall that infamous moment in Legally Blonde) You can get all of your anger and stress out by pushing yourself and getting that PR. Working out will also get you out of that rut of exhaustion that comes often with working and studying long hours.