As finals week approaches, it is important to remember one thing: relax!
I know that is easier said than done, but it is an important thing. A little stress is good, a lot of stress is not so good.
When the body comes under stress, a chemical reaction occurs and your body goes into survival mode. This causes more blood flow to the brain and actually causes you to think clearer.
However, a lot of stress can cause some serious anxiety and could make you overthink everything. It could also mess with your sleep cycle and cause poor health.
So how do you not to stress out? For starters, study outside. Getting sunlight has a bunch of benefits: it lowers blood pressure, elevates your mood and can help you sleep better.
The campus at Colorado Mesa University has a ton of places to lounge out and read a textbook.
Listen to music while you study. Listening to your favorite song will help you relax. Don’t go too crazy with the playlist though. You’ll find yourself no longer studying and instead, dancing and singing along with your favorite jams.
I can never stress this enough but take a break. Over studying is a real thing. It happens when you take in way too much information and then when you get the test in front of you, your mind totally blanks.
I’m not saying procrastinate, don’t do that. Cramming for a test is just as bad, and dare I say, it’s the exact same thing. When you put studying off until the last minute, you’re forced to try to take in as much information as possible right before your test and once again, your mind totally blanks.
Instead, start studying early. Every hour or two, take a 15-minute break. Play a game on your phone and maybe take a couple of hundred selfies, then delete all of them because you didn’t like the lighting.
Go for a walk and clear your head or even clean your room. It will give your mind time to recharge and you will feel better. Besides, if you clean your room, moving out for the summer won’t be too much of a hassle and bonus points, it’s one less thing you need to worry about.
Don’t forget to eat well and go workout. I myself like to bake chocolate chip cookies from scratch. While they’re in the oven it gives me time to accomplish short little tasks like doing the dishes.
The gym is also a good place to go to relieve stress. There have been numerous studies that prove working out releases endorphins that will reduce stress and promote better sleep. Added bonus, it will also boost cognitive function.
So remember, finals are stressful, but they are only as stressful as we allow them to be. With less than two weeks left in the semester, we can all get through them.
