With finals week just around the corner, it’s normal to feel stressed and anxious, but how can you manage this stress?
As important as it is to study around finals, it’s just as important to take care of yourself. What I mean by this is that your upcoming tests shouldn’t be the only thing on your mind.
Chew Some Gum
For some, chewing gum actually helps with concentration and alertness. It may encourage productivity as well as keeping you more calm.
It decreases stress because the act of chewing reduces our natural response to stress and helps prevent unpleasant feelings from being activated. It’s a simple and easy way to manage stress.
Form a Study Group
Inviting a few people over for a group study session is beneficial and less stressful than studying on your own, because after all, you’re in the same boat. Sometimes all you need is a little company to feel more relaxed.
And if you guys are studying the same thing, you can come up with many different ideas and perspectives, as well as exchanging notes to see if you may have missed something in your own notes.
You can work together to solve problems and understand the material better. It’s also great to have a friend around because you can take turns testing each other on whatever you’re trying to memorize.
Write It Down!
If you really can’t stop thinking about what could go wrong, grab a notebook and a pen and write it out. Write down all your concerns, all your thoughts on the paper.
You could also just write about your day, the good and the bad. It doesn’t seem like much, but you’ll find that you feel much better after clearing your mind.
Maybe you didn’t have the best day and need to get those thoughts out of the way before you can truly focus again.
Take Breaks
One of the best things you could do if you’re already getting a headache from studying is to take a break. And no, I don’t mean scrolling through your phone for an hour.
Breaks can be as simple as going for a quick walk. Sometimes walking can take your mind off of your stress for a little while. In general, moving around, even a little, will relieve you of stress that’s been building up over the day.
It’s also very important to eat something to keep yourself energized. As reluctant as you may be to take a break for that, what do you think will be on your mind if you’re hungry? You’ll have a hard time focusing on anything else.
Spending time with a pet can also help you de-stress. They may be a source of comfort just by being there for you, and who doesn’t love animals?
