Finals Week Stress Management

Written by Shelby Oyer

As scary as it is, finals week is quickly sneaking up on us. This year, students may be feeling the stress of finals even more than usual thanks to our late Thanksgiving. This means that as soon as we get back from break, we’re already into Dead Week. Holy cow. Time to start cracking down and prepping yourself for all of your finals! While it’s normal to feel stressed out during this time, it’s important to learn how to manage that stress to keep yourself healthy and working at your full potential.

Here are some tips on how to cope with stress:

1. Take time for yourself. It may seem like you don’t have a single spare second, but it’s important that you carve out some relaxation time into your study schedule. Take some time to take a break from your studying and do something fun. Take a walk outside, head to a coffee shop for a pick-me-up, spend some time chatting with friends—about anything but finals. Find whatever it is that relaxes you and be sure to take the time to do it.

2. Exercise. Everyone knows that exercise releases endorphins, which trigger a positive feeling in the body. Taking even 10-15 minutes for some low-level exercising (i.e. don’t get yourself all hyped up and aggravated by playing a competitive basketball game) can help you feel much more calm and positive.

3. Make a list. Writing down everything that needs to be done may seem overwhelming. However, if you get everything organized—when you have finals, what needs to be done for final projects, when you’re going to take time to study, etc.—you can start taking tasks one at a time and crossing them off until you find yourself at the end of finals week! This will ensure that you don’t miss anything, as well as give you a sense of satisfaction as you cross items off your list. 

4. Eat healthy. Pay particular attention to foods high in vitamin C. A recent study shows that “people who have high levels of Vitamin C in their system don’t show the normal signs of stress…” Plus, when you eat better, you feel better and when you feel better, you can study better and succeed. 

5. Ask for help. Whether it’s your professor, a study group, or a friend in a class, if you don’t understand something or just study better when someone can quiz you, don’t be afraid to ask! Getting all the help and answers you need will help you feel much more confident going into your finals.

These are just a few quick tips for managing your finals week stress. Keep an eye out for our December newsletter that will focus on many more study and stress management tips!