What time is it?
I wish I could scream “SUMMERTIME” as they did in High School Musical, but before we can throw our papers in the air, we have to go through the dreaded finals.
All semester long we have been learning countless equations and trying to memorize terms and definitions and now is the time we have to showcase all of that knowledge on one final test. Can someone say STRESSFUL?
I have gathered my top 5 ways I like to relieve stress during stressful times like these.
1. Start your work and studying earlier rather than later.
I know we have so many activities going on because everything is coming to an end, and the weather is getting warmer so now we want to spend all of our time outside catching rays or playing frisbee. But, starting your work earlier will save you SO much stress. I am the first person to pick going to the beach over making flashcards, but you have to think about it like this – once these horrid finals are over, you have over three months to go to the beach every day! Making your flashcards, starting on those final essays, and beginning to create outlines and study guides will be so essential to you and your stress. A study done at Penn State University showed that “…the task of recalling will be higher when rehearsal is done in short spurts over a long period of time, rather than a long session in a short period of time…” (Introductory Psychology) So not only will you be less stressed trying to cram the night before, but chances are you will also do better on your exam as well!
2. Release some endorphins!
Working out and getting active is actually a huge stress reliever. What is an endorphin? Well, endorphins are neurotransmitters which, when released, make your body feel good and diminish the perception of pain. Some ideas of exercise you can do around campus are: running outside, taking a class at Hammel Recreation Center like yoga or cycling class, or hiking on the many trails nearby
3. Have a relaxation night with some friends
While it’s good to be studying and getting ready for finals, your body and brain need a break as well! Get together some of your friends and throw a girls night! Grab some face masks and nails polish and cue the movies and popcorn. Some movie ideas for this upcoming girls night: A star is born
Breakfast at Tiffanys
Crazy Rich Asians
The Last Song
Dirty Dancing
Grease
50 First Dates
Clueless
Neighbors
Bridesmaids
4. Practice mindfulness
There are several ways that you can practice mindfulness. One way can be a yoga class at Hamel Rec. here at UNH! Here is the link to the schedule, https://campusrec.unh.edu/group-exercise . Another way to participate in mindfulness are meditation. My favorite meditation application is called Headspace. It is a free application on the phone. There is also a student discount for $10 for the paid version for a whole year which is regularly $98, so that is a good deal! Incorporate mindfulness in these activities is deep breathing. This will stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the system that controls relaxation!
5. Listening to music
Whenever I am overly stressed, you can always find me with music. Whether it’s going for a run or a car ride with the windows down and music blasting, I always feel a lot better. Singing also releases endorphins! Screaming the lyrics to your favorite song and dancing is always an excellent choice to take a break and relieve stress.
Good luck!!!
Penn State University Study https://sites.psu.edu/intropsychsp14n3/2014/03/11/cramming-vs-scheduled-…