Ladies, it’s that time of the year again: Finals. Year-end exams are upon us. I know what you’re thinking; it is time to dive into our respective library or SLC caves and double bolt the door. Our important beauty sleep has been replaced with hours of quantifying limits and conjugating French verbs. Our detoxifying salads have been replaced with the calorific, cheap, and convenient Domino’s pizza. But alas my fellow beauties, to maximize performance, don’t let your regimens suffer. Finals time is the worst time to break routine. Here are some tips to keep you in the library and out of the doctor’s office.
1. Jump. Dance. Run. Get out and move! I know it seems crazy, but taking 30 minutes out of rattling your brain over the Aristotle’s ethics can actually help you focus more clearly. The most productive students on campus take time to get their bodies moving. Get out of your cave and hit UGA’s beautiful thousand-dollar state of the art recreational center. I particularly enjoy biking in Ramsey’s strength and conditioning room, while catching up on the news. If yoga’s your fancy, downward dog it up! If you enjoy dancing around the room to Nicki Minaj’sSuper Bass, rock out. Whatever you do, get your body moving.
2. Eat clean! Stress levels encourage the urge for unhealthy foods. Your sweet tooth will kick in, making that double-scoop ice cream sundae look pretty good. While studying, resist fatty foods. Pizza, burgers, and candy will leave you feeling sluggish. Reach for fruits and veggies when hunger strikes. Get out of your room and hit the dining halls to get a real meal. Microwave dinners have no nutritional value and will hurt you long after finals end. I’m partial to ECV’s amazing array but each of dining halls offer wonderful options all day.
3. Sleep. This one’s a no brainer. Your body cannot and will not function properly if you do not give it a little TLC! I promise your ten-page paper will sound a lot more coherent when you’re thinking coherently. Make sure you get full nights sleep, especially before exams. Espresso shots can only get you so far. Schedule study breaks to take a nap when your eyes start getting heavy. Sleeping will give you energy that coffee and
caffeine can’t.
5. Cut Back on Coffee It’s tempting to keep your bodypumped full of coffee but this kind of caffeine intake is unhealthy and will disturb your REM cycle. Try to switch out your white chocolate mochas for green tea. The dining halls offer a wide variety of tea options from blueberry tea to even holiday flavors like pumpkin spice. But if you are a caffeine junkie like me and can’t resist, limit your caffeine intake during testing time. Limiting to one eight-ounce cup before 2 P.M. makes a world of difference to your body.
6. Say no to energy shots! Because it’s such a problem with college kids, energy drinks requires its own section. It’s 2 A.M. You’ve barely made it through the Chapter one of your twelve Chapter review. Your head is thirty seconds from hitting the desk, when you remember your roommate bought three cans of Redbull home. Freeze. DO NOT reach for it! Energy drinks can wreak havoc on your nervous system, so try to avoid them!
Finals is a stressful week and its hard enough finding time just to fit in all your studying. But taking a moment here and there to make healthy choices will help you succeed on your finals and in the long run.