College is fun and all, but you know what’s the worst part of college? Those last two weeks of classes, especially finals week. These two weeks of the semester are the most stressful. For me these weeks are more stressful and nerve wrecking than the week I spent preparing to play the piano and we all saw how that went. From spending endless hours in Club Odum, late night study sessions, working on a paper that’s almost 30% worth of your grade… this time of the semester can be difficult for everyone, regardless what year you are or your major. Its honestly a pretty rough time for all of us, but keep hanging in there. There’s always light at the end of this dark and I can’t wait to hear everyone’s testimonies about how they overcame this semester. Luckily for you I have my 5 ways to de-stress during this time of the semester. Try some of these out and hopefully they’ll help you cope with stress.
Make A Schedule
I would suggest to have all your finals date and due dates marked in a calendar whether it’s on your phone or in front of you, it still helps. It’s a lot to handle, and just thinking about everything you have to do can be overwhelming. Try breaking up tasks and spacing them out. Schedule time for breaks, for meals, and for doing something to de-stress. Even if you don’t stick to it, just by making a schedule can help your stress levels a lot. Realize that you do have time for everything. You just have to make it work.
Drink Water
Starbucks and energy drinks may help you stay awake, but don’t forget to drink water, too. You do not want to have to deal with dehydration, headaches, and pimples on top of being stressed out. Not drinking enough water can even end up making you more stressed, because dehydration causes increased levels of the stress hormone. Your body will thank you.
Social Media Break
For some people social media plays a huge reason on why they are so stressed out and slacking in class. I promise taking a break won’t be the end of the world. Delete Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat until after final week and see how much work you get accomplished.
Find a Dog to Pet
Animals have been scientifically proven to help lower stress levels( hence the reason why I love them so much). Just thinking of playing with a puppy or a cat can make you feel a little better. If you don’t have a friend with a dog or cat, just study outside for a while. I know its a little cold outside, but you’ll see a couple of people walking their dogs through campus. Most of them will let you pet their dogs if you just ask! Plus, every year VSU has it where you can play with puppies in the ballrooms and that’s honestly my favorite thing to look forward to.
Take a Minute to Just Breathe
The most important thing to do when you’re stressed is to breathe. When you get overwhelmed and feel like you won’t be able to get everything done, you’ve got to breathe. Close your eyes. Breathe in for a couple of seconds. Breathe out for a couple of seconds. Repeat. So when you get extra stressed in the coming weeks, don’t forget to breathe. It is okay to take a break if you feel overwhelmed. Go make some tea or coffee and take a relaxing bath. This helps to calm yourself and your mind.
I hope these tips were helpful for anyone who needed them! Stressing yourself too much is not heathy. Just remember, once you make it through these two weeks, you get a whole month of break. Hang in there. You can do this. I believe in you.